Harry Potter and the Foster Trio
by jDMisheifManaged
Summary: Elizabeth Black was going from home to home before being placed with an awful family in London but has managed to stay there long enough to create real bonds with a couple of the other children who are in the same situation as her. They love each other like family and couldn't bear to be split up from each other; that is until Effy receives an offer they would never let her refuse.
1. 1st November 1981

**Hello!**

This story will follow the lives of a few of my OC's as they start and live through Hogwarts. I'll admit, I may not get _everything_ completely right and it might take me a little time to get onto my feet with it. I love Harry Potter and I want to be true to the characters and I'll obviously try my best to keep it as canon as I can. Even though this is only for me, for fun, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

 **1st November 1981**

On the night following the most unusual yet remarkable celebrations all over Britain, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were stood outside of number four, Privet Drive as they discussed the events that had led to the disappearance of the darkest of wizard ever known, Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore had begun unsticking a pair of lemon drops as Professor McGonagall quizzed him about the rumours that had been flying around. She was shocked as she heard the truth; Lily and James Potter were dead, Voldemort had killed them the night before, and their little boy, Harry, had managed to survive. He couldn't kill him, and somehow, Voldemort's power was broken and he had vanished into thin air. And now, poor little Harry was going to be put in the care of his horrid aunt and uncle with a letter from Dumbledore explaining the situation. He wasn't going to know anything about the Wizarding world until it was time for him to come to Hogwarts.

"But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" Asked McGonagall.

"Hagrid's bringing him," said Dumbledore.

"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"

"I would trust Hagrid with my life."

"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"

There he was; Hagrid landed a huge motorcycle on the road in front of them.

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said Hagrid as he carefully got off the motorcycle holding a bundle of blankets. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

"No problems, were there?"

"No, sir - but, house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. But the thing is, Sir, young Effy was with him."

"Elizabeth?" Professor McGonagall asked, "Sirius and Rose's child?"

Hagrid nodded, "she was laid next to him in the crib... I couldn't leave her."

"Where is her mother?"

"She's," he looked at the bundle sadly. "She's dead."

Dumbledore nodded sadly and Professor McGonagall's face softened as they bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside was a baby boy, fast asleep and underneath a little bit of black hair over his forehead, they could see an oddly shaped scar, like a bolt of lightning. Next to him was a baby girl who was wide awake, her bright blue eyes staring up at them as she held onto young Harry's hand.

"Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall, motioning to Harry's scar.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."

Hagrid separated the children carefully, making sure that they were both wrapped up warm before letting Dumbledore take Harry in his arms and lead him towards the Dursleys' house.

"Could I - could I say goodbye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his head over Harry and gave him a kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl, amusing the little girl in his arms.

"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "You'll wake the Muggles!"

"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid. "But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily, James an' Rose dead - an' poor little Harry off 'ter live with Muggles-"

"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found."

Dumbledore took Harry to the front door, laid him gently on the doorstep and tucked a letter into his blanket before heading back over to the group. For a full minute, the three of them stood and stared after Harry sadly.

"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that."

"What about Elizabeth?" asked Professor McGonagall. "Does the fact that she was with Harry matter?"

"It does," nodded Dumbledore. "We just don't know what effect her presence had last night."

Hagrid looked down at the child, tears forming in his eyes, "fancy losing your Mother on your birthday, eh?"

Dumbledore nodded sadly while Professor McGonagall bowed her head.

"Sirius didn't wan' to give them up at first but then he realised that they would be safer with you." Said Hagrid, "for now, at least. I'm sure that he wants to know what happens to 'em."

"I shall write him a letter explaining where I have placed the children," said Dumbledore. "Pass her to me, Hagrid."

Hagrid kissed Effy on the forehead before passing her to Dumbledore, holding back more tears. She looked up at him and Dumbledore smiled slightly before noticing a scar going through her left eyebrow. He contemplated whether or not it was there before last night.

"What do we say about her?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"We don't say anything," stated Dumbledore. "We do not know her role in what happened and until we do I insist that we keep what we do know between us. Both children will then join the wizarding world when the time comes and we can begin to unravel the truth."

Both Hagrid and Professor McGonagall nodded in agreement before looking at the baby once more.

"I can't wait to see their faces again," smiled Hagrid.

Professor McGonagall smiled at Effy and Dumbledore said, "It's time to go, we've no business staying here. You may as well go and join the celebrations."

"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Elizabeth, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir."

Wiping his eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and rode into the air, off into the night.

"What about yourself, Dumbledore?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"I have one last thing to do before I celebrate," he looked back down to Effy who had begun tugging on his beard. "I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her.

Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply. Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner, he stopped and took out a silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.

"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he and Effy were gone.


	2. 23rd June 1991

**23rd June 1991**

Almost ten years had passed since the famous Harry Potter had been placed on the doorstep of Privet Drive and the girl who had been next to him still had no idea of his existence. Effy had been placed on the doorstep of the London orphanage with a letter that stated her name and date of birth before explaining that her mother was dead and it was thought best to leave her in the institutions care. When she was found she was raised in the orphanage for two years until it closed down and she, along with the rest of the orphans were put into foster care. By the age of six, Effy had lived in four different foster homes all around the south of England and had never really lasted long in any of them.

Just over five years ago, she was placed in a foster home in the middle of London with another foster child and had managed to stay there as she made friends with him. As the years passed two more foster kids had joined them and they had all learned to care for each other, some more than others, as they learned to live with the family they had been put with.

The house they lived in was large and it had three floors, the first included rooms such as the lounge and the kitchen while the second had three bedrooms and a bathroom and the third was the attic converted into one large bedroom that was separated with a curtain and a small bathroom that included a sink, toilet and shower. The third floor was strictly only for the 'foster wretches' as Effy's foster mother called them.

Effy had been sleeping soundlessly as she dreamt the same as she usually did: a beautiful woman was over her, smiling as she kissed her on the forehead and then a bright green flash erupted out of nowhere, blurring Effy's vision and waking her up.

She jumped out of unconsciousness and took in the usual sight around her: the curtain separating the girls' room and the boys' room, her foster sister, Alice, on the other side of the room and the window next to her bed. The foster kids didn't have much and what they had was more than likely stolen. She did have clothes on her bedside table and a couple of full sketchpads that she hid in her bottom drawer under a pair of jeans. Her most recent, uncompleted, sketchpad and pencil case was in her black hobo bag that she carried around with her. Under her bed, she had a pair of old trainers and a pair of black Doc Martens boots that her foster brother, Felix, had shoplifted for her on her birthday.

"Wake up!" screeched Donna, her foster mother, from downstairs as she hit on the ceiling with a broomstick.

Alice woke up groggily and sighed as she rubbed her eyes. She was nine years old and had mid-length dirty blonde hair accompanied with bright blue-green eyes and light skin.

Effy looked her over and smiled as she looked up at her, "morning."

Alice nodded at her with a small smile before going to the bathroom.

Suddenly the curtain was pulled open and in came Felix. He was taller than Effy, despite being a year younger, and had olive skin with dark hair and soft brown eyes.

"Good morning Elizabeth," he grinned mockingly as he sat down on her bed. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, I did actually, Fee," she smiled and smacked him around the back of the head.

"Ow!" He laughed, "What was that for?" Effy raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned. "Elizabeth is your name, darling."

"Exactly," she nodded, with a small smile. "That's why I go by Effy."

He laughed and hugged her, "you've got such a lovely smile, Eff. You should do it more often."

Effy kissed him on the cheek and said, "Aren't we going to the Zoo today?"

"Apparently," he nodded.

"Alice will be happy, she loves animals."

"How can you tell? She hasn't said a word since she got here."

"She draws them all the time." Effy smiled sadly, "how long has she been here? Three and a half years now?"

Felix nodded, "she was so small."

There were more bangs from the floor as Donna hit the ceiling, "get dressed or we will leave without you!"

"You can't do that or the social will take us away and you won't get your precious money!" yelled a voice from behind the curtain.

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!"

Felix and Effy shared an amused look as Kyle pulled open the curtain and walked into the room. He was the oldest foster kid as he was almost thirteen, two years older than Effy.

"She's not going to let you have any food for that, you know," Felix said.

Kyle smirked, "I'd rather starve than have her cooking anyway."

Effy gave him a crooked smile while Felix laughed lightly. Alice came out of the bathroom; she was already dressed and almost ready to go. She walked over to them and held out a couple of hair bobbles and a hairbrush in front of Felix. He smiled and told her to sit down in front of her before brushing her hair. Effy smiled slightly at the sight and looked up at Kyle as he ran a hand through his dark hair before going into the bathroom.

Kyle was the only foster wretch that Effy didn't think of as a brother or sister. Maybe it was because he'd only been there for about 8 months, or it could have been that he was older than her. She also knew that it could be because she found him attractive. Sure, she thought that Felix was just as good-looking but Kyle was a different kind of attractive and she sometimes found herself contemplating whether or not she wanted to kiss him like they do in the movies. He had light skin accompanied with bright green eyes and perfectly straight teeth. She had trouble finding a flaw in his appearance but she knew that he was a troublesome character.

"He's going to be ages in there," sighed Felix as she began to French plait Alice's hair. "I need to shower."

Effy laughed, "That's why I showered last night."

Felix rolled his eyes with a small grin, "oh shut up, Elizabeth."

Effy laughed as she stood up to get out some clothes for the day, she may not have had much but she still preferred to look half decent as she walked around London. She pulled open a drawer to pick out some underwear and then went on to pick out a tank top and a pair of black jeans that she'd ripped over the years.

"Fee?" she turned to him, showing him her clothes.

He nodded with a grin, "rip 'em a bit more."

Effy rolled her eyes and laughed lightly, "shut up."

He smirked and finished off Alice's hair before giving them both a quick hug and going back to his room to pick out some clothes for himself. Effy got changed and got out her sketchbook and a pencil. She sat down on her bed and began to draw: eyes at first, then a nose, lips and the rest of the face. She carried on drawing until Kyle walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and damp hair.

"What you drawing?" he asked.

Effy closed the book and looked up at him, "nothing."

He looked at her with a smirk and shrugged before disappearing through the curtain. Effy opened the book again and looked at her drawing. It was the woman from the dream, it always was.

Felix walked into the room and looked at the drawing as he walked towards the bathroom, "who's that?"

Effy shrugged, "I don't know."

Felix smiled slightly, his eyes bouncing between Effy and the drawing before fixing his eyes on Effy. He smiled, "Maybe it's your Mum."

Effy rolled her eyes, "don't be an idiot."

He didn't let her insult faze him, "she kinda looks like you."

Effy frowned, "no she doesn't."

Felix nodded, "yeah she does; same nose, face shape, lips, even your freckles. The only things that are really that different are your eyes and hair... and that god-awful scar of course!"

They laughed and Effy hit him with a pillow.

About thirty minutes later, the foster kids were all ready to go and went downstairs to see Donna Hendrix sat smoking a cigarette in the kitchen while her children, an eight-year-old boy named Lewis and another boy named Henry who was ten, sat at the table eating pancakes. Marissa, Donna's six-year-old daughter, walked into the room and sat down with her brothers.

Donna had blonde hair that had been curled into strands that resembled sausages and light skin that was caked with loads of makeup; her dark green eyes were accompanied by mascara-coated eyelashes and her thin lips where a too-bright shade of red.

"Took your time!" she stated.

"Sorry Donna," smirked Felix sarcastically.

"You shut up," Donna pointed at him with a whisk.

Kyle laughed, Effy smirked and Alice smiled as Donna glared at them. She plated a couple of pancakes for Marissa and then put a couple of rubbish pancakes on a plate for the foster kids to share.

Once they ate, they all went to leave when the doorbell rang. Effy went to get it to see that it was a respectable looking lady stood there with a grin on her face.

"Hello," she said. "My name is Charlotte; I'm Kyle's social worker."

"I'm Effy," Effy nodded and opened the door wider so that everyone could get out of the house.

"Get into the car-" Donna began to shout until she saw Charlotte. She smiled and ruffled Felix's hair as he walked past her, "kiddie-winks!"

Felix rolled his eyes and flattened his hair down as he walked towards Effy. Alice walked towards them, frowning at Donna as she acted excited for their day out, and took one of Effy's hand before reaching out and taking one of Felix's, standing in between them as they watched their foster mother.

"I've organised a minibus to take us to and from the zoo," smiled Charlotte.

"Us?" Donna raised an eyebrow but kept her fake smile plastered on her face.

Kyle walked out last, following Donna's children, and greeted the social worker with a nod.

"Of course," said Charlotte. "I need to speak to Kyle about how he is settling in at his new school so I thought that this would be a good chance to talk in a calm, collected and informal setting."

Donna's smile widened, "how wonderful!"

Felix bit his lip to stop himself laughing while Effy just smirked at the situation. Charlotte caught up with Kyle as they all walked towards the minibus and Donna grabbed onto Effy's shoulder, making Effy, Felix and Alice stop walking.

Donna looked over at the social worker and spoke at a volume that only the three foster wretches could hear. "You better make sure there isn't any funny business on this trip," she pointed at each of them separately as the others got into the minibus. "I'm warning you – if you do anything to showcase how freak-ish you are I'll lock you in the attic and you'll have no meals for a week. Are we clear?"

Alice nodded slowly while Felix puckered his lips slightly in annoyance and Effy raised her eyebrow.

"Is everything alright?" asked Charlotte from the minibus.

"Oh yes," grinned Donna, ruffling Felix's hair once more before making her way towards the bus.

Felix, Alice and Effy followed and got into the bus, making sure that they were sat together. Alice seemed quite nervous and Felix nudged Effy, motioning for her to say something.

Effy narrowed her eyes at Felix before taking Alice's hand, "don't worry about Donna." Alice looked at her. "She's just trying to scare us; nothing will happen."

Alice didn't seem to believe her but she smiled slightly anyway. Effy bit her lip; she didn't actually know if anything was going to happen she just hoped that it didn't for her foster siblings' sakes. Alice, Effy and Felix always seemed to get into trouble for doing things that couldn't be explained.

For example, once Donna had shrunk Felix's school uniform and it made him look like an idiot. Felix had spent the night topping and tailing with Effy talking about how bad it was and what they were going to do when people made fun of him at school. But the next morning all of his clothes were the perfect size, some even better than before. Felix and Effy had been locked in the attic for the weekend for that.

Whenever Effy did something, Felix would be punished too and whenever Felix did something, Effy would also be punished due to the fact that Donna thought that they were partners and worked together with everything that they did. Once Effy was watching Donna dye her hair in the bathroom, hoping for it to go wrong and while the hair dye was blonde, Donna's hair ended up going a horrid dark grey colour that made her look ten times older than she actually was and, no matter how many times she dyed it, her hair would go the same colour for weeks. Effy had got caught watching and she and Felix had no meals for a week. They managed to sort themselves out by shoplifting some chocolate bars on their way home from school so they didn't mind that.

Alice had been blamed for all of Donna and Marissa's clothes suddenly getting smaller and smaller as they tried to put them on and, while Effy tried to take the blame, she got locked in the attic for a day with no meals.

This had been one of the reasons why Effy had been tossed around in foster homes before Donna. She was always said to make unexplainable things happen and would always end up getting herself into trouble.

* * *

The zoo was crowded with families and it seemed to be one of the sunniest days of summer so far. Marissa, Lewis and Henry had asked for an ice cream so even the foster kids got an ice lolly each as Donna needed to keep up her act for the social worker.

They ended up having a really good morning and as Donna's kids got bored of the animals, they all went to have lunch at the zoo restaurant. While eating, a large blond boy around Effy's age began having a tantrum and while many of the visitors began to glare at him, including Donna, Felix and Alice began laughing at him while Effy's eyes landed on a smaller, dark-haired scrawny boy who was sat with him. He had bright green eyes and was wearing seemingly broken circular glasses with cello tape wrapped around them.

She smiled slightly at him as he was smiling happily after being given an ice lolly that the blond boy had kicked off about. As the blond boy got a new lolly, the dark-haired boy looked up towards Effy and smiled slightly. She stared at him, recognising him in some way, before being dragged away by Felix.

After lunch, they went to the reptile house to look at all of the different types of lizards and snakes that were behind the glass. Lewis and Henry ran towards the largest snakes while Marissa and Donna went towards the smaller lizards and Charlotte and Kyle went to the chameleons. Felix and Alice were looking at some smaller snakes while Effy watched as Lewis and Henry got bored of the big snake, which seemed to be sleeping, and went towards the lizards.

The blond boy from the restaurant and his family came in and walked towards the large snake. He pressed his nose against the glass, staring at the snake before whining to who Effy guessed was his father, "make it move."

The man tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.

"Do it again," the boy ordered and his father did as instructed, but the snake just snoozed on. "This is boring," the boy moaned before shuffling away.

While the rest of the family followed the bond boy, the dark-haired boy stood in front of the tank, looking at the snake intently. Effy watched as the snake suddenly opened its beady eyes before slowly raising its head until its eyes were on a level with the boy's.

It winked.

Both Effy and the boy stared and then the boy looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching but didn't seem to notice Effy. He looked back at the snake and winked, too. The snake jerked its head toward the boy's family before raising its eyes to the ceiling.

It gave the boy a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time."

"I know," the boy murmured through the glass. "It must be really annoying."

The snake nodded vigorously.

"Where do you come from, anyway?" the boy asked.

The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass and both Effy and the boy peered at it. 'Boa Constrictor, Brazil.'

"Was it nice there?" asked the boy.

The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and they read on: 'This specimen was bred in the zoo.'

"Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?"

As the snake shook its head, Effy walked towards them. The snake looked at her and then back to the boy, motioning for him to look at her.

He turned to her and she smirked, leaning against the glass, "you know, you probably shouldn't talk to snakes. People will think you're weird."

He shrugged, "people already think I'm weird."

Effy smiled slightly, "me too."

The boy looked at her and smiled slightly before holding out his hand for her to shake, "I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

She shook his hand, "Effy Black."

"Nice to meet you."

Effy smiled slightly before turning towards the snake. She and Harry watched as it nodded its head towards her as some form of greeting before looking at each other and laughing lightly.

Suddenly, a deafening shout from behind Harry made them all, including the snake, jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

The blond boy, who Effy suspected to be Dudley, came waddling toward them as fast as he could.

"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs.

Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor, towards Effy. She and Harry glared the Dudley and one second, Dudley and his friend were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.

Effy's eyes widened and Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. Effy watched as the great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly and slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.

As the snake slid swiftly past them, Effy could have sworn that she'd heard a low, hissing voice saying, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigos."

And when she looked at Harry, she knew that she'd heard correctly. She held out her hand to help Harry and he took it graciously.

"Thank you," he said just as Felix and Alice ran over.

"Did you see the size of that snake?" asked Felix with a grin. "Donna screamed her head off!"

They laughed and Alice looked at Harry. He smiled at her and she did the same.

"This is Harry," smiled Effy, motioning to Harry. She then gestured to Felix and Alice in turn, "This is my brother Felix and my sister Alice."

"Hi," smiled Harry.

"Hey," Felix nodded with a small smile.

"HARRY!" a male voice yelled from the crowd of people

Harry rolled his eyes with a smile, "see you around."

"Bye," Effy smirked while Felix and Alice waved at him.

"ELIZABETH!" screeched Donna.

Harry and Effy shared a look and a smile before going their separate ways.

* * *

 **I hope you've enjoyed the story so far x**


	3. The Letter, the Owl, and the Dream

**The Letter, the Owl, and the Dream.**

As it turned out, Donna blamed the escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor on Effy, earning herself, Felix and Alice a month in the attic. Donna had put a lock on the door that could only be opened with a certain key that Donna carried at all times and would only be opened when Kyle was sent up with what Donna called 'meals' twice a day or when they had to go to school.

By the time they were allowed out of the attic, the summer holidays had come and Effy and Felix decided to go outside onto the streets of London. At first, they just walked around, taking in the air but then they decided to go to the shops.

They looked around, identifying the cameras in the shops before mentally figuring out blind spots, sharing looks as communication. Then, it was time to get to work; while Felix went to the shopkeeper to create a diversion, Effy went to one of the blind spots, grabbing a few different chocolate bars, drinks and sweets before shoving them into her bag and walking out smoothly.

As she waited down the street for Felix, Effy noticed a man stood on the other side of the road, staring at her. He was quite young, with a pale face and a purple turban wrapped firmly around his head, and was wearing what seemed to be a large black cloak. She saw his lips move slightly as if he was speaking to himself and –

"Effy!" Felix grinned, running towards her. "Why is it always me who has to distract the shopkeeper?"

"Because you've got a big mouth," Effy laughed, turning to Felix before looking back across the street. "Hey, look at that man over-"

He was gone; the man had vanished into thin air. Effy began looking around, trying to find him but frowned confusingly when he was nowhere to be seen.

"Eff?" Felix frowned, "you okay?"

Effy nodded, rolling her eyes at herself, "yeah, let's go."

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked around the corner and down an alleyway, towards a fire escape for a block of flats. They climbed up the fire escape onto the roof and smiled, seeing their little hideaway again. While Felix walked towards the edge of the building, Effy grabbed a rucksack from underneath a step on the fire escape and carried it towards Felix. He was stood, leaning on the railing of the building, looking out over the city. Effy smiled at him before unzipping the bag and taking out a couple of blankets, a sketchpad, some pencils and a couple of books that Felix had taken from the library. She laid the blankets down on the ground and sat down, taking off her bag and letting all of the sweets, chocolate, and coca cola drinks roll out of it.

She opened a Mars bar and looked out over the city, looking back at Felix every so often. After a couple of minutes, he turned and laid down next to her. She smiled slightly and lay down too, taking a bite of her Mars bar.

"Promise me that we'll get out of Donna's?" Felix looked at her, "we'll get our own place or we'll run away to the countryside or the coast, wherever. We'll bring Alice with us and we'll get a... cat or something."

Effy looked up at him and smiled, "once Alice is old enough and we've got enough money."

Felix nodded but Effy could tell that he was doubtful so she took his hand and said, "I promise, Fee."

* * *

When they finally got back to Donna's, it had begun to get dark and they had taken a chocolate bar back for Alice, leaving everything else in the rucksack underneath one of the steps. Walking inside, they breathed a sigh of relief when they heard a snore coming from the living room and swiftly made their way upstairs and into the attic.

"I'm fucking knackered," Effy sighed as she dropped onto her bed.

Felix laughed as he walked towards his bed, "me too."

"I can't be arsed to pull my boots off," she grinned, holding out her feet.

Rolling his eyes, Felix smiled as he walked towards her. He pulled off her boots and Effy did the same for him before laying back. He stayed sat up, looking out of the window.

"Hey," he said, pulling a Mars bar out of his pocket. "Where are Alice and Kyle?"

Effy shrugged, "I don't know."

They looked towards the bathroom as the door opened and Alice stepped out.

"Hey," smiled Felix, gesturing for her to walk towards them. "I've got you something."

She smiled as she walked towards them. Her hair was wet and her nightie was slightly damp, indicating that she'd just had a shower. Felix handed her the chocolate bar and she grinned as she took it. She gave him a small hug and kissed him on the cheek, making Felix grin.

"You have a good day?" asked Effy, smiling at her.

She nodded and smiled before swiftly walking across the room, towards her bed. Felix and Effy shared a confused look before watching as Alice walked back over holding what looked like a letter. She handed it to Effy with a small smile and a shrug. Effy and Felix looked at it, confusion written over their faces. The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink:

 _Miss. E. Black_

 _The Attic_

 _106 Hudson Street_

 _London_

"There's no stamp," said Felix.

"That's the weirdest thing about this?" Effy raised an amused eyebrow before turning the envelope over to see a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H. She looked at Alice, "Where'd you get this?"

Alice stayed silent.

"Did it come in the mail?" asked Felix. Alice nodded and sat on the bed next to him. They all stared at the letter until Felix sighed, "are you going to open it?"

Effy rolled her eyes and pulled open the envelope:

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

 _Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

 _Dear Miss. Black,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on 1st September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall,_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

"Are you fucking kidding?" frowned Effy.

"What is it?" asked Felix. Effy rolled her eyes and tossed him the letter. He read it and frowned slightly. "Is this for real?"

"Of course not," sighed Effy, resting her head against the window and telling herself that she was stupid to get her hopes up. "It will have been the boys." She bit the inside of her cheek. "I'm going to go to bed."

Felix bit his lip, "Eff-"

"I'm tired, Fee."

Felix and Alice shared a look and Alice crawled towards Effy to give her a kiss on the cheek. Felix did the same before tucking in Alice and going to his own bed. Effy took off her jeans before putting on a pair of bedtime shorts and getting into bed, tossing the letter onto her nightstand. Felix took off his jeans and shirt before turning the lights off and Effy ran a hand through her hair as she sat looking out of her window.

After an hour or so, she heard a window open from the boy's side of the room. Frowning, she got out of bed and walked towards the sound to see Kyle's window open. He climbed inside and onto his bed.

Rolling her eyes, she went back to bed and waited until she knew that everyone was asleep before getting out a lighter from underneath her bed. She looked at the letter on her nightstand and felt a pain in her chest.

She picked up the letter and flicked the lighter. A large flame erupted from the lighter, lighting up the room. Effy held the letter over the flame, letting it set on fire before putting down the lighter and holding up the letter, watching it burn away. She took in the sight of the flame as it burnt the parchment and opened the window. Waiting until almost the entire letter had burnt; she blew out the flame and threw it out of the window before lying down and falling asleep.

* * *

The next morning, the smell of burnt toast wafted its way through the house as the foster kids woke up and Effy had to roll over and shove her face in her pillow so that she didn't smell it.

"BREAKFAST!" yelled Donna from downstairs.

Effy groaned and rolled back over to see Felix and Alice get out of bed. Felix threw on a shirt and a pair of pyjama bottoms before standing up and heading downstairs, followed by Alice and Effy.

They went into the kitchen to see Donna, Marissa, Lewis, and Henry sat down eating toast, eggs and bacon. A plate of burnt toast was sat on the counter for the foster kids along with a half-eaten jar of marmalade that none of them liked. They walked towards it and began to eat when they heard the mail being delivered.

"You," said Donna, pointing at Effy with a butter knife. "Get the mail."

"Yeah," burped Marissa.

"Get the mail, scar-face!" Henry grinned devilishly.

Effy raised an eyebrow and Felix smirked at her. Kyle walked down the stairs, rubbing his eyes with his shirt and picked up the mail before walking into the kitchen. He looked through it, tossing it to Donna until he got to one particular envelope.

With a confused frown, he looked at Effy and read, "Miss. E. Black, The Attic, 106 Hudson Street, London."

Everyone in the room frowned at the letter quizzing and Effy glanced at Donna's kids to see them just as confused as everyone else. She went to take the letter when Donna stood up and grabbed it first.

"Ugh, why would anyone send _you_ something?" She said harshly before ripping the letter open and beginning to read, "Dear Miss. Black, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Suddenly, everyone but Effy, Felix and Alice burst into laughter. Effy and Felix shared a look while Alice just looked at the letter, a small smile on her face. After a couple of seconds, a large owl swooped down towards the kitchen window, making Donna jump. Everyone began to laugh at her and she began to go red.

"Shut up!" she yelled, ripping the letter into pieces. "It's just junk." She threw it in the bin, glaring at the foster kids as she did it. "You," she pointed at Effy. "Get to your room."

Effy rolled her eyes and walked upstairs. She sat down on her bed and got out her sketchpad. As she drew, her mind was clouded by the letter, the owl and the dream she had always had. A lot of the time she drew like this, without thinking about it, and then the final result either confused her or gave her the answer of what she had buried deep inside of her.

When she'd finished this drawing she realized that she'd drawn the man that she'd seen across the street wearing a turban but he had a somewhat evil look in his eyes and the turban was quite dark. She frowned, a bad feeling overwhelming her. Rolling her eyes, she started a new page and looked out of her window, pressing her pencil to her temple.

Effy watched as an owl swooped down and landed on her window ledge. She smiled slightly and began to draw the owl as it kept its self still. Once she was finished and was happy with the result, she showed it to the owl. It looked at it, turned its head to the side slightly and pecked at the window before flying away. Effy smiled slightly and shut the sketchpad before placing it under her bed and lying down with the intent of going to sleep.

The next morning at breakfast, while the foster kids where eating lukewarm porridge, the mail came and three more letters arrived for Effy, surprising everyone once again. Donna angrily took the letters and burnt them as she smoked a cigarette.

* * *

On Friday, it was five letters and the same thing happened again.

"Who the fuck wants to mess with you so badly?" asked Kyle.

Donna glared at Effy and grabbed her by her polo shirt, dragging her up the stairs. She threw Effy into her room before locking the door and yelling, "You're not coming out until Monday!"

Effy rolled her eyes and indeed, didn't leave the room. Felix and Alice came up after breakfast and they spent as much time with her as possible until Donna made them come down to 'give Elizabeth time to think about her actions.'

On Saturday twelve letters came in the mail, causing Donna to punish Effy further, extending her time locked in her bedroom to the rest of the week, sending Felix up with meals every so often.

The next morning, Donna let Effy downstairs to eat breakfast as she was in an extremely good mood.

"Guess what?" she grinned and everyone looked at her. "it's Sunday! No fucking letters today!"

The foster kids rolled their eyes while Donna's children grinned at her. But then, suddenly an owl swooped down to the kitchen window, carrying a letter.

Donna was furious and threw a spoon at the window to make it go away. It didn't work and more owls began to fly towards the windows carrying the letters. Alice grinned while Kyle frowned confusingly and Felix and Effy laughed at Donna's face. The owls began pecking at the windows and dropping the letters on the floor in the small back garden.

"GET UPSTAIRS!" yelled Donna, pushing Effy towards the door.

Effy rolled her eyes and did as she was told, watching out of her window as Donna went outside to pick up what must have been fifty letters off of the floor. She opened her sketchpad, intending to do some drawing but paused when her eyes landed on the drawing of the women from the dream that she'd always had. She looked her over, taking in her features and frowned, standing up and walking to the bathroom, taking the sketchpad with her.

She stood in front of the mirror in the room and held up the sketchpad, pressing it against the mirror, next to her reflection. Looking from the sketch to her reflection she frowned, realizing that Felix was right in noting the similarities between them. They both had light skin, thin lips and a straight-edged nose accompanied by light freckles scattered across their cheeks.

Their eyes were a different colour – the woman had dark eyes while Effy's were a bright blue – but they both had long eyelashes and their eyebrows were also the same shapes, only Effy had a scar going through her left and, from what Effy could tell from the drawing, the woman had straight teeth while Effy's bottom set was crooked. The main difference was the hair; the woman's looked to be a bit of a lighter colour while Effy's was dark.

Effy bit her lip, frowning as she looked between the drawing and herself before rolling her eyes and ripping out the page. She slammed the book shut and went back to her bed, shoving her sketchpad underneath; she ripped up the drawing and tossed it out of the window.

* * *

The next morning, Effy didn't even bother to get out of bed and decided to sleep while everyone else went downstairs. As she went to shut her eyes, she heard a tapping noise on her window. She sat up to see the owl that she had drawn sat on her window ledge holding a letter, tapping its beak on the window.

"Alright," she sighed and opened the window.

The owl dropped the letter onto her bed and looked at her. She stroked its head as she picked up the letter, opening it to see exactly the same as what she'd gotten the first time: a letter and a list of books and equipment.

She stroked it again, "alright, I'll keep it safe."

The rest of the day had gone by smoothly; Effy had mainly just slept, ate and drew. But as she stood up to stretch her legs she noticed how messy Alice's bed was and decided to make it for her. She fluffed up the pillow and picked up the quilt, feeling something fall out of it. Once she'd put the quilt back down more tidily, she looked on the floor to see a sketchpad had fallen from the quilt. As she picked it up, she realised that it was open and turned it over to see a picture of what seemed to be some form of elf or goblin. Effy smiled and turned the page to see a picture of a cat wearing glasses and what seemed to be a which holding a wand with light coming from it. The next page had a drawing of an owl holding a letter and Effy grinned, shutting the book and placing it on Alice's bedside table.

When the rest of the foster kids came up after eating dinner, Felix passed Effy a sandwich and sat on her bed. Alice came over with a smile and sat next to Effy. She noticed the letter on Effy's windowsill and smiled, pointing at it.

"When did you get that?" asked Felix.

"This morning," said Effy as she took a bite of her sandwich. "An owl turned up at my window."

They laughed and, after a couple of seconds of silence, Felix said, "what if its real?"

Effy frowned at him, "how could it be real?"

"Think about it," said Felix. "OWLS are bringing all of these letters to you and they know which room you sleep in."

Effy shrugged, "doesn't mean anything."

Felix laughed, "You know it does. And, I mean, what about all of the weird things that happen, you know? The things we can't explain. Maybe it's you."

Effy sighed, "Felix, do you really believe in this type of shit?"

"Honestly," he smiled. "I didn't, but I'd like to."

Alice caught Effy's eye, reminding her of Alice's drawings.

Effy smiled, "hey Alice, Your sketchpad fell onto the floor earlier and I saw some of your drawings." Alice raised an eyebrow and walked towards her bed to pick up her sketchpad. "I know, I know I shouldn't have looked it's a total invasion of privacy and if you did it to me I'd kill you." Alice nodded, sitting back on the bed. "But, uh, what were the things..?"

Alice smiled slightly and opened the book, revealing the elf-like things.

"Wow, Alice," smiled Felix. "These are good!"

"What are they?" Asked Effy, "Goblins?"

Alice pointed at one of them and nodded before pointing at a different one.

"Is that one not a goblin?" asked Felix and she shook her head. "Is it an elf?"

She nodded and smiled.

"Have you seen these?" asked Effy and she nodded.

"In real life?" asked Felix and she shook her head

"In dreams?" Effy asked and Alice nodded.

Effy looked at Felix was a small shrug and a few seconds later they heard their bedroom door bang.

"LIGHTS OUT!" screeched Donna.

They all shared a look before giving each other hugs and going to bed.

"Night everyone!" said Felix.

Effy smiled, "night, Fee."

* * *

 **Lemme know what you think x**


	4. I'm Not a Witch

**I'm Not a Witch.**

That night, Effy dreamt about a flying motorcycle and a large, giant-like, figure with a long dark beard accompanied with long dark hair. She woke up to the sound of light tapping on her window and rubbed her eyes as she rolled over to see what it was. It was an owl, the same as yesterday, but it wasn't holding anything it was just tapping its beak on her window.

She sat up and just as she went to open the window the owl flew away. Effy watched it fly before getting out of bed and stretching. It was a beautiful day and she contemplated whether or not to go outside but rolled her eyes when she remembered that she was grounded. She looked over at her foster siblings to see that they were still asleep before going to the bathroom and brushing her teeth. She then got a shower and got changed into a polo shirt and black jeans before sitting down on her bed. Leaving her hair down so that it could air-dry, she opened her sketchpad and began to draw.

First, she drew a pair of eyes than a nose and the rest of a face. She then realised that she was drawing the boy that she'd met at the zoo, Harry, but in the drawing, he had a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt which she hadn't seen in real life. She frowned slightly in confusion just as a large bang came from downstairs. Her eyes widened slightly as it happened again, and again.

Felix jerked awake and sat up quickly. He looked at Effy wide-eyed, "what the fuck is that?"

Effy shrugged, "I don't know."

She put down her sketchpad and got out of bed. She realised that Alice was awake and Kyle groaned, "Fuck off Donna!"

"I don't think its Donna," Effy said to him.

Felix, Alice and Kyle got out of bed and walked towards the door. Another bang and a loud scream erupted from downstairs. The foster kids looked at each other and Effy opened the door.

"Donna?" she called, walking down the stairs.

"Who the fuck are you?" yelled Donna downstairs. "Get out of my house."

"You should have answered the door then," said a voice that they had never heard before. "Now, where's young Effy?"

Effy and Felix shared a look.

"ELIZABETH!" yelled Donna.

Effy rolled her eyes and made her way down the stairs to see the front door off its hinges. The foster kids followed her with wide eyes as she walked into the living room to see a giant of a man sat on the sofa. Donna was stood on the other side of the room from the giant with her children standing behind her, shock evident on their faces.

The man's face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his dark eyes. Effy's eyebrows raised, he looked exactly like the man in her dream.

"Fucking hell," Felix breathed.

The giant looked up and smiled when he saw Effy, "you mus' be Effy."

He held out a large hand and, not wanting to be rude, she took it. The giant pulled her towards him and stroked her cheek with his massive thumb.

"You look just like your mum," he smiled. "Except, you've got your dad's eyes and" – he touched her hair – "yep, you've got his hair too."

Effy felt a pain in her chest, "you knew my parents?"

He smiled wider, "o' course I did. Good friends of mine, your mum an' dad." – He turned slightly, revealing Harry next to him – "just like young Harry's."

She frowned confusingly and smiled, "Harry?"

"Hello Effy," he smiled.

"O' course," the giant grinned. "You've already met!"

Effy smiled, seeing the warmth in the giant's eyes, and there was an awkward silence for a couple of seconds.

"Uh, sorry, but," Felix smiled, breaking the silence. "Who are you?"

The giant chuckled and stood up, holding out his hand, "my name is Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. But you can call me Hagrid, everyone else does."

Felix took his hand and the stranger shook his whole arm before doing the same to Kyle. He looked to Alice, who was smiling up at him and stroked her cheek with his thumb, "hello there, little one."

He sat back down and Donna's eyes widened, "Hogwarts? What the fuck is Hogwarts?!"

Effy and Felix shared a look while Alice grinned.

"Language, please," said Hagrid. "There are children around." She rolled her eyes. "Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Did you not receive the letters?"

"I need a drink!" sighed Donna.

"Well, thanks for offering Miss Hendrix." Hagrid said, "I'll have a cup o' tea."

"We don't have tea," said Donna, spitefully. "So, you're going to have to love us and leave us because I need to clean the house."

"You never clean," said Kyle.

"And no one could ever love you," said Felix.

Donna glared at them while Hagrid laughed, "I'll have some whisky then, Hendrix. I'm sure you'll have that."

Harry held back a smirk and the foster kids laughed. Donna glared at Hagrid and sent Henry into the kitchen to get her some whiskey. The foster kids went further into the living room; Kyle sat down on the other sofa, followed by Felix and Alice.

"Wait, so... Hogwarts is real?" asked Felix.

"Of course not!" yelled Donna.

"Well o' course it is, Felix!" grinned Hagrid as Henry walked back into the room carrying a bottle of whisky.

Donna went to take it from him when Hagrid got there first. Henry jumped back in fear while Donna rolled her eyes at Hagrid as he began to drink from the bottle.

"You know his name?" asked Effy, glancing at Felix.

Hagrid nodded, "when I got asked to come get you an' Harry, Dumbledore filled me in. I know the name of everyone who you lived with."

Effy's eyebrows rose in shock and Hagrid placed the now-empty bottle of whisky down on the coffee table.

"Dumbledore?" asked Kyle

"The headmaster o' course," said Hagrid.

"Of 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry'..." said Effy doubtfully. "I'm not a witch."

"Now, listen here Elizabeth," said Hagrid. "Yer' Mum was a witch and yer' Dad's a wizard. And with those two as your parents o' course you're a witch, what else could you be? And just like Harry, with a bit of training, you'll be a bloody good one too!"

Effy sighed, "I'm sorry Hagrid, but I think you've made a mistake."

"That's exactly what I thought when he came to me," said Harry.

"Not a witch, eh?" Hagrid smiled, "you've never made things happen when you were angry or scared? Something that you couldn't explain?"

"The hair dye," Effy's eyes widened.

"The snake," smiled Harry.

"Well," smiled Hagrid. "That was the both of you."

Felix smiled, "I was right then."

"I'm a witch," Effy said in disbelief, looking at Harry, Hagrid, Felix and Alice.

Alice's eyes widened in amazement and Donna's eyes widened in shock.

Donna glared at Hagrid and Effy, "you're not going!" Effy looked at her. "I won't allow it."

Hagrid began to go red in the face, "and a great Muggle like you is going to stop her are ya'?"

"Muggle?" asked Felix.

"Non-magic folk," stated Hagrid before turning to Donna and speaking sternly. "And, like Harry, Effy's had her name down since she was born!"

But Donna wasn't going to give in. She stood up, "she's not going!"

"What are you going to do? Lock her in the attic?" Hagrid stood up, towering over her, "Elizabeth Black is off ter Hogwarts, it's where she belongs! Her Mum and Dad were amazing at magic and I know that she will be too! And after everything she's been through as a young'en she deserves it!"

Effy smiled while Donna looked like she wanted to rib Hagrid's beard off.

"I'M NOT LETTING HER GO TO A SCHOOL AND HAVE THE TIME OF HER LIFE WITH A BUNCH OF FREAKS!" She screamed. "SHE DOESN'T DESERVE ANY OF IT!"

She grabbed Effy by the hair and pulled her backwards, towards her. Effy clenched her jaw to stop herself from yelping in pain. Harry's eyes widened in shock while Felix felt a wave of anger shoot through him. Alice glared at Donna and, just as she and Felix were going to force her off of their sister, Hagrid took out a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat and whirled it over his head.

"HOW DARE YOU!" he yelled.

He brought the umbrella down to point at Donna, there was a flash of light and the next second, Donna had let Effy go and now was gripping onto her face, screaming. Effy watched as her hair became grey and her face began to grow older, her skin becoming more droopy and wrinkly.

Donna shrieked like a banshee and pulled Marissa, Lewis and Henry out of the room. She cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.

Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard while everyone else was in shock.

"Ugh, I can't help but lose me temper with these muggles," he said ruefully and looked up at Effy. "Please don't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm - er - not supposed ter do magic."

"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Felix.

"Oh, well - I was at Hogwarts meself but I - er - got expelled."

"Why were you expelled?" asked Effy.

"Ah, never mind that," said Hagrid, changing the subject. "We've gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."

"Wait, what?" Effy frowned, "where are we going to get all this shit in London?"

"Language," Hagrid said a small smile on his face.

"Sorry," smiled Effy.

"You can get anything in London, you've just gotta know where ter' look."

Effy went to the attic to get her shoes on, grab her hobo bag and throw on a jacket before heading back downstairs, making sure she had her letter. As she was about to go down the stairs to the ground floor, Kyle stopped her on his way up.

"You're actually going to go with this guy?" he asked, a slight smirk on his face.

"Yeah," nodded Effy.

Kyle laughed and nodded, "that was fucking amazing, what he did to Donna."

Effy laughed, "I know. You're not going to tell anyone about this are you?"

He shrugged, "they wouldn't believe me anyway."

"Thanks," Effy smiled.

He smirked and Effy kissed his cheek before walking past him, down the stairs. She smirked and walked back into the living room, interrupting a conversation between Felix, Harry and Hagrid.

"I'm ready," she smiled.

Hagrid grinned, "Alright then, let's go."

Alice hugged Hagrid, making him grin and pat her head before giving her what must have been a very whiskery kiss on the forehead. She laughed and gave Harry a hug too. Harry smiled and hugged her back before he and Hagrid stood up to leave. Hagrid pulled Felix in for a hug too and Felix laughed as they pulled apart. Harry and Felix did some form of handshake, grinning at each other, while Alice gave Effy a hug.

"She'll be back later," smiled Hagrid and Alice grinned. "Term doesn't start 'till September and then she can come back for Christmas, Easter and the summer holidays."

"So you'll be living there?" asked Felix, his smile fading slightly.

Effy looked up at Hagrid and he nodded.

"Wait, really?" asked Effy. "I-uh-I can't."

"Why not?" Hagrid frowned, confused.

Effy looked over to her siblings and said, "I can't leave 'em."

Alice frowned and tugged on Felix's arm. He looked at her and they shared a look. He sighed, "yeah, you can."

"What? No, Fee, I can't."

"Yes, you can," he argued.

"Leave you guys here with these lot? I can't do that, Fee."

"Well, you're going to have to," Felix smiled and took Effy's hand. "I love you but if you don't do this I will never speak to you again."

Effy raised an eyebrow, "you, Felix Dawson, will never speak again? I highly doubt that."

"I said that I'll never speak to _you_ again, I'll carry on speaking to everyone else."

Alice tugged on Effy's arm and motioned over to Harry and Hagrid. Effy bit her lip and looked back to Felix.

"We'll be fine, go and get your books and sh-" Felix managed to stop himself, "stuff."

Effy smiled and gave him a hug, "I love you, Fee."

"I love you too."

They pulled about and Effy looked at Hagrid, "I guess I'm coming."

"Alright," smiled Hagrid. "Best be off then, eh?"

"Can they come?" Effy asked, gesturing to Felix and Alice.

"Afraid not," sighed Hagrid. "As much as I'd love for you all to come, I've got some Hogwarts business to attend to." Alice and Felix nodded – "But, don't worry, your time will come." Hagrid winked, leaving everyone puzzled as he left the room.

Effy shrugged as she walked towards Felix and Alice and gave them both a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, "I'll see you later."

* * *

 **Review Replies:**

Guest: Here you go, love! x


	5. Diagon Alley

**Hello!** Just a heads up, this chapter includes a new OC, Alexander Malfoy. I hope you like him! There are quite a few OC's I know but I'm keeping to the original story but I feel like I need a few new characters to work with Felix and Alice so I've added a few to just kinda give the story a boost.

Also, I'm going to try and upload at least every weekend from now on. I hope you enjoy.

* * *

 **Diagon Alley**

Hagrid led Harry and Effy outside and, casting a look back at the house, Effy felt guilt overwhelm her. She didn't want to leave Felix and Alice with Donna, but there was no way that she could pass this up.

Then she realised something, "Hagrid, I don't have any money."

"O' course you do," he smiled. "It's just waiting for you at Gringotts."

"Gringotts?"

"The Wizard Bank," said Harry excitedly.

"Wizards have banks?"

"Just the one. Hagrid told me that it's run by goblins."

Effy smirked, "Goblins?"

"And guarded by Dragons."

"Dragons?"

"Yeah," said Hagrid. "So, like I told Harry earlier, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, you two. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe - 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid seemed proud of himself. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you - gettin' things from Gringotts - knows he can trust me, see."

Effy and Harry smiled at him as they followed him down the street, around a corner, down another street and around another corner.

"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

It was a little pub and if Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Effy wouldn't have noticed it was there and nobody else on the street seemed to either. In fact, looking around, Effy realised that she'd walked past the pub more than one hundred times without noticing it but before she could say anything, Hagrid had steered her and Harry inside.

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby and the few people that were inside stopped talking when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid and most people greeted him in some way; the bartender offered his usual drink.

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder and the other on Effy's, making their legs shake a little.

"Good Lord," said the bartender, staring down at Harry, "is this - can this be -?"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter... what an honour."

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and shook his hand, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr Potter, welcome back."

Effy raised a questioning eyebrow and watched as Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. An old woman with a pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out and Hagrid was beaming while Effy looked around, confused.

Chairs then scraped on the floor and suddenly everyone was on Harry, shaking hands with him. Effy laughed as she watched Harry trying to keep up with the hands that were flying towards him;

"Doris Crockford, Mr Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Mr Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement making Effy bite her lip to stop herself from laughing. "You bowed to me once in a shop."

"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again, an old lady kept coming back for another.

A pale young man wearing a turban made his way towards Harry, very nervously. Effy's eyes widened when she realised that he was the man that she'd seen across the street a week before. She noticed that one of his eyes was twitching and frowned as she felt a pain shoot through her eyebrow. Rolling her eyes, she rubbed her temple to get rid of her headache and disregarded the bad feeling she had in her stomach.

"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid before smiling at Harry and Effy. "You two, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" asked Harry politely.

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously.

"Sounds interesting," said Effy, trying to figure out if he recognised her or if she was just seeing things the other week.

He smiled at her nervously before avoiding her eyes, "you'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself."

He looked terrified and Effy couldn't believe him, she couldn't understand how so much anxiety could be in one person. Everyone else started up again and it seemed to take ages for them to get away from it all.

"Must get on - lots ter buy," Hagrid spoke clearly. "Come on, you two."

An old lady, Doris Effy thought her name was, shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a bin and a few weeds.

Hagrid grinned at Harry, "Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh - mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

Effy frowned, confused as to why everyone was so excited to see Harry and decided that she'd ask later.

"Is he always that nervous?" asked Harry.

"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag - never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject - now, where's me umbrella?"

Effy's head was blown and by looking at Harry, she knew he felt the same. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the bin.

He muttered to himself before saying, "Right, stand back."

He tapped the wall three times with his umbrella and the bricks he had touched moved to create a small hole that grew large enough that they could all fit through.

"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."

He grinned at Effy and Harry's amazement as they walked through the cobbled street. The sun was bouncing off of a stack of cauldrons outside one of the shops.

"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."

Effy and Harry turned their heads in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look and take in everything. There were a few boys around their age were looking at some broomsticks in a shop window.

"Look," Effy heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand - fastest ever - "

There seemed to be a shop for everything that you could ever think a witch or wizard could need and Effy's eyes widened even more as she looked up at a massive white building that towered over the other little shops.

"Gringotts," said Hagrid.

Next to the entrance of Gringotts was a small short, light-skinned creature with a long nose accompanied with long fingers and feet wearing a scarlet and gold uniform.

"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him.

He bowed as they walked inside to see another set of doors with a little poem engraved on it.

"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.

 _Shit,_ Effy thought. _I should have read the poem!_

A pair of goblins bowed them through the doors and they stepped into a marble hall that contained about a hundred more goblins sitting on high stools behind a long counter. They all seemed busy and Effy couldn't help but watch them as they worked.

"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin at the counter. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr Harry Potter and Miss. Elizabeth Black's safe."

"You have their keys, sir?"

"Got 'em here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of mouldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers - Effy smirked as the goblin wrinkled his nose.

"Got it," said Hagrid, holding up a pair of tiny golden keys.

The goblin looked at it closely, "that seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin read the letter carefully.

"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to the vaults. Griphook!"

Another goblin, presumably Griphook, walked towards them and Effy, Harry and Hagrid followed him toward one of the doors leading off the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Effy asked.

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

Effy and Harry shared a look and Griphook held the door open for them. They followed him and watched as he whistled, signalling a small cart to come up the tracks toward them. Everyone got in, it was a little harder for Hagrid of course, and before they even had a chance to get comfortable, they were off.

The cart went very fast around twists, turns and large drops. Effy cheered excitedly and raised her hands up above her head; Harry laughed at her while Hagrid looked at her as if she was crazy.

"I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"

Effy frowned at his question confusingly, not knowing what on earth he was on about.

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."

Effy burst out laughing and when the cart stopped beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop himself from shaking.

Griphook unlocked the door and as some smoke from inside cleared, Harry gasped. Effy had a little peak to see that inside were mounds of gold, silver and little bronze coins.

"All yours," smiled Hagrid.

It was brilliant; Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag while Effy just stood there in amazement.

"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms; we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Young Elizabeth's vault now, please, and can we go more slowly?"

"One speed only," said Griphook.

They all got back into the cart and Effy grinned as they rode it a little further, a few more drops and turns before it stopped again, and they got out. Griphook opened the door and the same amount of green smoke came blowing out of the vault, like it had Harry's. Effy's eyes widened as the smoke cleared, revealing piles of gold, silver and bronze coins, like Harry's.

"Holy shit," she breathed, and Harry grinned at her. "This is m-mine?"

Hagrid nodded, "you didn't think that your parents would leave you with nothin', did ya'? You've got practically all of the Black family's riches in 'ere!"

"I didn't know anything about my parents," said Effy. "I still don't, really."

Hagrid smiled at her sadly before taking the same amount of coins as he and Harry had and put them in a bag for Effy.

"There we go," he smiled.

"Thank you," Effy breathed in amazement before following Harry back to the cart.

"Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please," said Hagrid.

Griphook nodded and they joined Harry and Effy in the cart. They were going even deeper and faster and both Harry and Effy leaned over the side of the cart to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled them back by the scruff of their necks.

Once they got to the vault, Effy noticed that there was no keyhole.

"Stand back," said Griphook before stroking the door gently with one of his long fingers. Effy's eyes widened as it began to melt away.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.

"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.

Effy scoffed a laugh and Harry looked at her with a small smile.

"Something really extraordinary has to be inside this top security vault," Harry whispered to Effy before leaning forward eagerly.

She chuckled and watched as the door opened to see a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside of his coat. Both Effy and Harry wanted to know what it was but knew that if they'd asked they wouldn't get an answer.

"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.

* * *

Once outside of Gringotts, Effy didn't know where to go first now that she had a load of money and had a feeling that this was the most money she had ever seen.

"Might as well get yer uniforms," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry and Effy entered Madam Malkin's shop without him.

"Hogwarts, dears?" said Madam Malkin, just as Harry began to speak. "Got the lot here - a pair of young men being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a witch pinned up his long black robes. Next to him was another boy who looked like he could be his brother; he had light skin, blonde hair that fell over his forehead and bright blue eyes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length before calling over another witch to do the same to Effy.

"Hello," said the boy with the pointed face, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry while Effy just nodded.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy, boredom evident in his voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Effy raised an eyebrow at the boy as he strongly reminded her of Henry before looking over at the other boy to see him rolling his eyes.

"Have you got your own brooms?" the boy went on.

"No," said Harry and Effy shook her head.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"Nope," said Effy, acting as if she wasn't wondering what on earth Quidditch could be, while Harry shook his head.

"I do, don't I Alex?" the boy looked to his brother, who nodded, before saying, "Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No," said Harry.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

Harry and Effy shared a look and Effy smirked, "I wouldn't really care to be honest."

The boy looked at her grimly, "you're joking!"

Effy raised an eyebrow at him and Harry smiled at her while the other boy smirked.

"I say, look at that man!" said the annoying boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Effy and Harry and pointing at three large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.

"That's Hagrid," said Harry. "He works at Hogwarts."

"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper," said Effy, feeling the urge to punch the boy more and more every second.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly and Effy and the other boy smiled.

"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"Mine are dead," said Harry shortly.

"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all while the silent boy frowned sadly. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard if that's what you mean."

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same; they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"

But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry hopped down from the footstool.

The witch looked up at Effy with a smile, "and you, dear."

She smiled and hopped down off the stool, "thank you."

"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the annoying boy.

* * *

 **The** only annoying thing about making Fanfiction that goes along with the original plot is that there are a few parts that you can't change and it feels like a whole chapter has been taken straight out of a book.

 **Review Replies:**

xBBx: haha, thank you. I'm glad that you're interested! Can I ask what a 'bad trope' is? x


	6. The Boy Who Lived

**The Boy Who Lived**

While Effy didn't let what the boy was saying get to her, Harry was didn't say a word as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him.

"What's up?" said Hagrid.

"Nothing," Harry lied.

Hagrid looked at Effy and she just shrugged. They continued their shopping and Effy got Harry to cheer up a bit when she found a bottle of ink that changed colour as you wrote.

When they had left the shop, Harry said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"

"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know - not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the boy in Madam Malkin's.

"- and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in-"

"Yer not from a Muggle family, neither of you are. If he'd known who yeh were, Harry - he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles - look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"

"So what is Quidditch?" asked Effy.

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like - like football in the Muggle world - everyone follows Quidditch - played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls - sorta hard ter explain the rules."

"Hm," said Effy. "I don't mind football, I suppose."

"Do you play?"

"Sometimes, I mainly play basketball with my brother though; he doesn't really like running around kicking the ball. Normally, he just throws it at me."

"Your brother?" asked Hagrid, confused.

"Felix," she smiled. "I count Alice and Felix as my brother and sister, they're my family."

Harry gave her a smile and Hagrid placed his large hand on her shoulder with a soft grin. After a while, Harry said, "What are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but-"

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Vol-, sorry - You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"

"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.

"Who's You-Know-Who?" asked Effy.

Hagrid sighed, "how 'bout I tell yer later, eh?"

She nodded with a slight shrug and they carried on shopping.

They bought the school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books of all different sizes and designs. Effy was in awe of the amount books in front of her and Hagrid almost had to drag her away from a couple of books that were too 'advanced' for her.

"Yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."

Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron either, but they carried on down the list and continued down Diagon Alley.

"Just yer wands left - A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

Harry went red and Effy grinned, "It's your birthday?"

Harry nodded, "you don't have to-"

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at - an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls; they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium and both Harry and Effy now carried a large cage each that held beautiful snowy owls, fast asleep with their heads under their wings. Hagrid had found a pair of sister owls and Harry and Effy happily agreed to have them; Hagrid and Effy bought Harry's while Effy bought her own. Effy laughed as Harry couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.

"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivander's left now - only place fer wands, Ollivander's, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

A magic wand, Effy grinned at the thought.

The last shop was narrow and shabby; a tinkling bell rang as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Effy felt as though she should stay silent and looked around the shop.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice.

Both Harry and Hagrid jumped, and Hagrid stood up quickly to face an old man with light, pale eyes.

"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter. You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Mr Ollivander moved closer to Harry and Effy bit back a laugh at Harry's expression.

"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry's noses were almost touching. Effy took a step back from the pair, giving them some space.

"And that's where..."

Mr Ollivander moved a piece of hair from Harry's forehead with his finger and Effy's eyes widened in surprise as she saw a scar the shape of a lightning bolt on his head; she remembered her drawing of him and questioned how on earth she knew about it.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."

He shook his head and spotted Effy looking at him with a confused expression.

"Elizabeth Black," he smiled. "I remember your parents too. You look just like your mother, Rosemarie. Eleven inches long, made of rosewood with a phoenix feather core. It was very powerful that wand, powerful and strong for such an amazing witch." He came closer to Effy and reached up to touch her hair, "your father, on the other hand... ten and a quarter inches long, made of Cypress wood and dragon heartstring. Very powerful, very powerful indeed."

Effy nodded her head slowly as he looked at her; his silvery eyes were a bit creepy. After a couple of seconds, Hagrid coughed, pulling Ollivander's attention to himself. He walked towards him and Effy and Harry shared a look before watching Hagrid and Ollivander talk.

"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr Ollivander sternly.

"Er - yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" said Mr Ollivander sharply.

"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly gripping tightly onto his pink umbrella.

"Hmmm," said Mr Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now - Ladies first, Miss. Black. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Well, I'm right-handed," said Effy.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Effy in a few strange ways that included the distance between her knee and her armpit.

As he measured, he began to explain about the cores of wands and Effy listened intently before realising that the tape measure, which was measuring between her nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr Ollivander took down boxes from shelves all around the shop and brought them over.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure fell to the floor. "Right then, Miss Black. Try this one, Pinewood and dragon heartstring, ten inches. Just take it and give it a wave."

Effy took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Mr Ollivander snatched it out of her hand very quickly. Effy's eyes widened and she and Harry shared a look. She was passed another one to try and once again, it was taken from her straight away.

He picked out another box and pulled out another wand, "cypress wood, like your father, and Phoenix feather, like your mother. Eleven and a quarter inches, quite firm. Give it a try."

Effy took the wand and felt a warmth in her fingers. She raised the wand and moved it around a little to see white sparks shoot from the end of it like a sparkler. Effy raised her eyebrows in surprise while Harry's eyes widened, Hagrid whooped and clapped, and Mr Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo!"

She smiled slightly as Mr Ollivander took the wand out of her hand and got it ready for her to take away.

He handed it to her with a smile, "it just took a piece of your mother and father to get it right."

Effy smiled and paid seven gold Galleons for her wand before taking a seat next to Hagrid to watch Harry get his wand. Harry was, too, right handed and it took a whole lot of different wands to find the one that was right for him.

"Tricky customer, eh?" Ollivander said, "Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

The wand chose Harry as a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end of it as he swished it around. Effy grinned while Hagrid cheered, and Mr Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious..."

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious... curious..."

"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"

Mr Ollivander fixed Harry with his creepy stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry swallowed and Effy looked at Harry curiously.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."

Harry shivered and Effy couldn't tell whether or not she liked Mr Ollivander.

* * *

Later in the afternoon Effy, Harry and Hagrid made their way back to the usual streets of London. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road and Effy had a feeling that he didn't even notice how much people were staring at them on the Underground as they walked around with their packages and owls. Once they got to Paddington station, Hagrid tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said.

He bought Effy and Harry a hamburger each and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Effy kept looking over at Harry as he ate quietly.

Effy nudged Harry, "you all right, Harry?"

"Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.

"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr Ollivander... but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry - I mean, the night my parents died."

Hagrid leaned across the table and gave him a very kind smile.

"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts - I did - still do, 'smatter of fact."

Hagrid and Effy helped Harry onto the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then Hagrid handed him an envelope.

"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September - King's Cross - it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me... See yeh soon, Harry."

Effy pulled Harry in for a hug, "I'll see you on the 1st."

Harry smiled at her and nodded before getting on the train and sitting down next to the window. The train pulled out of the station. Effy and Hagrid waved him off before turning around and leaving the station.

"Do yer want me to take you home?" asked Hagrid.

"You don't have to," she shrugged and he smiled, patting her on the shoulder.

"Let's go," he said.

As they walked to back to Donna's, a tense silence hung over them until Hagrid said, "Is there somethin' on yer mind?"

Effy sighed, "Why's Harry famous? What happened the night his parents died? Who is You-Know-Who?"

"We're here," said Hagrid, gesturing towards the house.

"Hagrid," said Effy softly. "You said you'd tell me."

He sighed, "Let's go inside for a drink and I'll tell you what I can. It's all a bit mysterious, you see. You might as well know what most of the other youngsters do."

They went inside, opening the now-fixed door, to see Felix and Alice sat in the living room watching the start of Effy's favourite film 'The Breakfast Club'. Felix and Alice grinned when they saw them.

"Hey," said Felix, while Alice ran to Hagrid who put Effy's bags that he was carrying on the floor before picked her up to give her a hug.

"Hi," Effy smiled, giving him a kiss on the cheek and placing her owl and bag on the table.

"Is that an owl?" asked Felix.

Effy nodded, "isn't she beautiful?"

Felix nodded and smiled, "hi Hagrid."

"Hey," he smiled, putting Alice down and sitting down on the other sofa.

Effy went into the kitchen and took one of Donna's bottles of whiskey. She passed it to Hagrid and he smiled as a thank you.

"Where's Donna and her demons?" asked Effy.

Felix smirked, "she's been in her bedroom all day and the demons have gone to their friends' houses for sleepovers." He looked at Hagrid. "How long is she going to look like an old hag?"

Hagrid took a drink of whiskey and shrugged, "only a week or so... maybe a month."

Felix and Alice laughed while Effy smiled slightly before pausing the TV.

Felix frowned, "what's up?"

"When Harry, Hagrid and I went shopping, everyone, and I mean _everyone_ , knew who Harry was."

"Is he famous or something?"

"Apparently and I don't think he even knew it."

"What do you mean?"

"He was genuinely shocked when people came up to him to shake his hand and welcome him back to the wizarding world."

"So," Felix frowned. "What's he famous for?"

Effy looked at Hagrid, who took another gulp of his drink before letting out a large breath.

He sighed looking to Effy, "First, and understand this, Effy, 'cause it's very important... Not all wizards are good. Some of them go bad. A few years ago there was one wizard who went as bad as you can go. And his name was V- his name was V-"

"Are you okay?" asked Felix, pulling Alice onto his lap.

Hagrid nodded and took another gulp of whisky, "His name was Voldemort."

"Voldemort?" Effy frowned as she, Felix and Alice listened intently.

"It was dark times, Effy, dark times. Twenty years ago, Voldemort started to gather some followers, brought 'em over to the dark side. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible things happened. He was takin' over and anyone that stood up to him ended up dead."

Alice rested her head on Felix's chest while Felix's eyes widened and Effy's eyebrows rose in shock.

"One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. He didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway. Harry's parents, Lily and James, were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! I suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.

"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where the Potter's was all living, on Halloween ten years ago."

"Your second birthday, Eff," said Felix anxiously.

Hagrid nodded, "Harry was just over a year old. He came ter their house an' - an'-" He paused to take a drink. "Sorry," he said and Effy nodded. "But it's that sad – they were good people Lily an' James. Your Mum and Dad's best friends, they wer'. Anyway...

"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then - an' this is the real myst'ry - he tried to kill Harry, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it."

Effy frowned confusingly and Hagrid carried on, "That's no ordinary cut on his forehead. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh - took care of his mum an' dad an' his house, even - but it didn't work on him, an' that's why he's famous. No one ever lived after You-Know-Who decided ter kill 'em, no one except him, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age - the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts - an' Harry was only a baby, an' he lived."

"What happened to Vo- to You-Know-Who?" asked Effy.

"Some say he died. Codswallop in my opinion. Nope, I reckon he's out there, still, too tired to go on. But one thing's absolutely certain. Something about Harry stumped him that night and that's why everybody knows his name. He's the boy who lived."

* * *

 **H** i, to anyone reading this, I hope you are enjoying yourself.


	7. I Fucking Love that Bird

**I Fucking Love that Bird.**

Effy's last month at Donna's consisted of Donna hiding away in her bedroom, Henry, Lewis and Marissa leaving every room that Effy walked into and the foster kids enjoying their time together.

On the 31st of August, Effy, Felix and Alice went to the park a couple of streets down, carrying a basketball that Lewis had given to Effy when he'd got a new one. She'd felt slightly guilty taking it from him because she knew that it was because he was scared of her but shook it off since he had a new one anyway. Once they got there, they went straight to the basketball court where Effy began to shoot hoops while Felix and Alice sat on the floor watching.

"So," said Felix, squinting as he looked up at his sister. "You excited for tomorrow, then?"

"Of course I am," sighed Effy, throwing the ball into the hoop.

Felix nodded and suddenly bowed his head. Effy turned around to see a group of boys a year older then her walking towards them. She rolled her eyes as they took the ball off her.

"Elizabeth," smirked one of the boys, catching the ball.

"Gregory," she raised an eyebrow and watched as one of the other boys walked up to Felix, ruffling his hair. "How about you just fuck off back home, yeah?"

He laughed, "how about you and your fag of a brother make me?"

Effy clenched her hands into fists, anger shooting through her. Greg attempted to make her jump by throwing the ball at her unexpectedly but she caught it with a smirk, "You've got to try harder than that to scare me, sweet cheeks."

He glared at her and went to take the ball off of her but she dodged him, dribbling the ball so that he couldn't get it before throwing it into the hoop backwards and running over to get it. Greg had begun to grow red from embarrassment and anger.

"Now," she said, throwing the ball at his head, catching it as it bounced back. "Fuck off."

"Make me," he said.

Suddenly, they heard a loud squawk from above them and Effy laughed as her owl flew down towards them, making Greg run backwards. Alice grinned as the great bird flapped its wings and squawked at him, making him scream in horror, before flying towards the boys who had surrounded Felix with its claws out. The boys ran towards their leader who just screamed as she flew back towards them, chasing them out of the park and around the corner.

Felix, Alice and Effy laughed until their stomachs hurt and grinned as she flew back around the corner, landing on Effy's arm.

"I fucking love that bird," said Felix.

* * *

After a few more hours of hanging out in the park, they went back to Donna's and went straight to their room. They messed about; using Donna's stereo to listen to music and danced about together. When Kyle got back he was smoking a cigarette and was carrying some of Donna's whisky from downstairs.

When he saw them dancing he laughed, "hello!"

Felix, Effy and Alice laughed as Kyle began to dance with them. Effy and Felix danced together happily while Kyle drank and smoked what seemed to be Donna's cigarettes and Alice bounced around the room.

"Here," laughed Kyle passing Effy the whisky. "Try it."

Effy shrugged with a smile before taking a gulp of the drink, feeling the burn in her throat. She made a sour face and laughed before passing it to Felix. He did the same, pretending to retch, before giving it back to her. She took another gulp before giving it back to Kyle.

"I was your age when I tried my first cigarette," He smirked and passed her the cigarette, "if you smoke it properly, first try, without coughing I'll give you £10."

"Where did you get £10?" asked Felix.

He laughed and tapped his nose. Effy smirked and pulled the cigarette up to her mouth. She'd seen Donna smoke that many times she knew what she was doing: she sucked on the cigarette and breathed in, managing to stop herself from coughing. She let the smoke fill her lungs before blowing it out into Kyle's face.

"Alright," he nodded and passed her a two £5 notes. "Fair is fair."

Effy laughed and handed one of the notes to Felix and the other to Alice, "I don't need it."

Kyle shook his head with a smirk, "bitch."

"Prick," smirked Effy, taking another drag from the cigarette before giving it back to him.

Effy ran towards Felix who laughed and picked her up, swinging her around before falling backwards. They burst out laughing and Kyle came over to help them up.

They carried on dancing and laughing with each other until the time came for them to go to bed. It had gotten dark and Effy didn't want to miss the train the next morning. Everyone got into bed and turned off the lights.

Kyle, who had continued drinking, slurred, "Night, night everyone."

Alice laughed and you could hear the grin on Felix's face as he said, "night, night."

"Night," Effy smirked.

Effy rolled onto her side to face the window and watched the moon, too excited to sleep. After a couple of minutes, she closed her eyes, trying to make herself fall asleep, and heard a tap on her window. She opened her eyes to see her owl outside of her window holding a letter.

Smiling, she opened the window as quietly as she could and the beautiful bird hopped onto her windowsill, dropping the letter on to her bed.

Effy laughed and stroked her softly, "thank you, Lily-Rose."

She'd named the owl after her mother and her mother's best friend because she didn't think that Rosemarie suited the owl but still wanted to use her mother's name. She then thought of Harry's mother and combined the two.

On the front of the envelope was simply the name 'Effy', she smiled and opened the letter, knowing that it was from Harry. She'd sent Lily-Rose off with a letter for him earlier that day asking him how he'd been and to meet her at platform nine and three quarters at 10:45 so that they could get on the train together.

She opened the envelope, flicked on her lighter so that she could see and read the letter:

 _Effy,_

 _I'm glad to hear that you've had a good last month at Donna's. I was worried that she'd go mental and lock you in the attic so that you couldn't go to Hogwarts._

 _I'm okay; it's been a weird month with the Dursleys'. Dudley, like you said about Henry, Lewis and Marissa, is now so scared of me that he won't stay in the same room and while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon haven't shut me in my cupboard, forced me to do anything, or shouted at me, they haven't spoken to me at all. I think that they are half terrified, half furious and they act as though I don't exist. Although this is an improvement in many ways, it's become a bit depressing after a while._

 _Everything's okay, though. I'm excited_ _about tomorrow; Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia have agreed to give me a lift to Kings Cross because they're taking Dudley to London to get his tail removed anyway. I didn't tell you did I? When Hagrid came for me he got angry at the Dursleys, like he did with Donna, and gave Dudley a pig's tail. It was hilarious!_

 _Yes, I'll meet you on the platform so that we can get on the train together. Only, Uncle Vernon says that there is no platform nine and three quarters. So I guess we'll have to figure it out when we get there, let's meet at 10:30, just in case._

 _See you tomorrow!_

 _– Harry x_

Effy smiled and put the letter and lighter down onto her nightstand. She sat and stroked Lily-Rose for a few minutes until her eyes became tired and she was struggling to keep them open. Rubbing her eyes, she shut her window and opened the door to Lily-Rose's cage. Lily-Rose made a small purring type noise and swiftly flew into her cage. Effy smiled, shut the door and lay down. She shut her eyes, letting herself fall asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Effy woke up at half-past six and couldn't get back to sleep. She decided to brush her teeth, get a shower and get changed into a pair of ripped black tights and a pair of denim shorts. She put on a random tank top as she looked for her jumper, giving up after she'd pulled everything out from her nightstand draws and under her bed.

She made sure everything was packed, checking and re-checking her Hogwarts list to make sure she had everything she needed, saw that Lily-Rose was shut safely in her cage, and then pulled out one of her sketchpads, deciding to draw as she waited for everyone else to wake up.

After two and a half hours, Effy had done a few drawings and everyone had begun to wake up. Kyle was up and walking about, as was Alice and Effy could hear Donna's children downstairs. Effy put her sketchbook and pencil case into her hobo bag, along with her wand and a smaller bag that contained all of her money, before going downstairs and knocking on Donna's bedroom door.

"What?!" yelled Donna.

Effy opened the door and walked inside to the smell of alcohol and cigarettes. Donna was sat in bed having a cigarette, her hair was no longer grey and her face had finally gone back to normal after a month.

"Can you give me a lift to King's Cross?" asked Effy.

Donna looked at her with disgust, "with my face looking like this?!" Effy rolled her eyes, passing her a mirror. "No!" – Donna put her hands over her eyes – "I'm hideous."

"Your back to normal," stated Effy, putting the mirror in front of her face.

Donna put her hands down and opened her eyes. Her eyes widened as she saw her reflection and Effy watched as she almost smiled.

"I still look disgusting," said Donna.

"Then get a shower and put your face on before you drive me to the train station," said Effy.

Donna grunted in response, "I'll do what I like."

"You know that if I don't turn up at Hogwarts Hagrid will blame you, right?"

Donna's eyes widened and she took another drag of her cigarette before getting out of bed and heading for the bathroom. Effy smirked and went back upstairs to the attic to see that Alice and Felix were sat on her bed. Alice was stroking Lilly-Rose while Felix was looking out of the window wearing the jumper that Effy had been looking for.

"Hey," Effy smiled. She rubbed Alice's cheek softly and kissed her on the head before sitting down in front of Felix. "I was looking for that jumper, you know?"

Felix tried to smile but failed completely, "sorry."

"What's wrong, Fee?" Effy asked.

He glanced at her before looking back out of the window, his eyes began to shine and he looked like he was going to cry.

"Fee," Effy frowned worriedly.

She leaned towards him and pushed his hair off of his face. He looked at her and pulled her in for a large hug, shoving his face onto her shoulder. She felt his tears on her neck and felt herself tear up.

"Look at what you've done," Effy laughed weakly, wiping away her tears that had begun to fall.

He pulled away from her and wiped his tears onto the sleeve of her jumper. He sighed, realising what he'd just done, "sorry."

She smiled, "you know what? Keep it," –he looked at her- "I'll take one of yours."

He smiled ran a hand through his hair, "what time are you leaving?"

"Once Donna's ready," Effy smiled, "so ten o'clock probably."

Felix laughed lightly and sniffed, "ugh, Alice and I coloured in a few of your old drawings. I hope you don't mind."

Effy smiled as she looked through one of her old sketchbooks, "of course I don't mind."

He smiled and Alice suddenly jumped up at them, holding a piece of paper. Effy took it and turned it over to see a drawing of Alice, Effy, Felix, Harry and Hagrid.

Effy grinned, "Is this for me?"

Alice nodded and Felix smiled at her.

Effy pulled her in for a hug, "thanks, Alice."

Alice grinned and kissed her on the cheek before hugging her back. Effy put the drawing into her current sketchpad neatly and put it back inside her bag. She put the old sketchbook that Felix and Alice had coloured in into her trunk that was full of her supplies, equipment and clothes.

"You want any help carrying your shit downstairs?" asked Kyle, popping his head around the door.

Effy nodded as she stood up, "yeah, thanks."

She put on her Doc Martens while Felix went over to his nightstand, picking out his favourite baggy grey jumper. Effy smiled as he passed it to her and threw on the jumper, laughing as the sleeves where to long and the neckline fell down past her collar bones, resting on the edges of her shoulders.

After a couple minutes of arguing over who was going to carry what downstairs, Kyle and Felix carried down Effy's huge, heavy trunk while Effy carried down Lily-Rose in her cage and Alice carried down Effy's hobo bag. They left the luggage in the hallway before going to the kitchen to get something to eat.

Felix looked through the cupboards and rolled his eyes, "we don't have anything in the fucking cupboards."

"Fridge?" asked Effy, sitting down at the table.

He looked in the fridge and pulled out a half-empty carton of milk, "milk, anyone?"

They all agreed and Felix took a sip of milk from the carton as he sat down next to Effy. He then passed it onto Effy who took a sip and passed it onto Kyle, who did the same and passed it onto Alice.

"What time is it?" asked Effy.

Kyle checked his watch, "Quarter to ten."

Effy rolled her eyes, "Donna!"

"WHAT?!" she yelled.

"Are you ready yet?!"

"NO!"

"How long will you be then?!"

"I'LL BE READY WHEN I'M READY!"

Effy ran a hand through her hair, "bitch."

Kyle pulled out his cigarettes and tossed the open pack onto the table before taking one out. As he lit his, Effy took one out and accepted his lighter to light her own.

"What time does your train leave?" Felix smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"Uh, Eleven," she said, taking a drag from her cigarette. "But I'm meeting Harry at the platform."

"What platform is it?" asked Kyle.

"Nine and three-quarters."

He frowned, "what?"

"Platform nine and three-quarters."

"Nine and three-quarters?"

Effy nodded, "yeah."

"There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

Effy frowned and got her ticket out of her bag, "that's what it says on the ticket."

"Don't worry, Eff," said Felix. "You and Harry will sort it and if you can't find it and miss the train, just send Hagrid a letter. I'm sure that they want you there as much as you want to be there; it'll be okay."

Effy took a drag and nodded, "you're right."

"Aren't I always?"

They laughed just as Donna walked into the room. She looked worse than before; her hair was bigger and curlier, she was wearing to much mascara and had even put on large fake eyelashes, her eyebrows were drawn on as little lines and her lips looked twice their normal size with the amount of bright red lipstick that she'd put on.

"I'm ready," she stated, taking Kyle's cigarette. "Let's go."

Alice frowned confusingly while Kyle, Felix and Effy looked at her with a mixture of shock and disgust.

"I said let's go!" She raised her voice.

Effy nodded, holding back a laugh at her appearance as she followed Donna outside. Effy finished her cigarette while Donna got into the car and Kyle and Felix put the trunk into the boot while Alice placed Lily-Rose onto a seat, putting the seatbelt around her cage so that it wouldn't fall over.

"Thank you," smiled Effy, picking up her hobo bag and shutting the door.

They all nodded and Effy decided to turn to Kyle first. She gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled at her and ran a hand through his hair as she turned to Alice, giving her a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"I'll write to you," she smiled as Alice hugged her tightly. "I love you, my little love."

She then looked to Felix, the one that she'd known for the last five years, the one who knew her better than anyone, and one of the people that she cared about the most in the world.

He took her hands, "As much as I want you to go," he smiled weakly, "I don't want you to leave."

Effy watched him tear up and felt a lump form in her throat. She wrapped her arms around him as fast as lighting and hugged him tightly.

"Me too," she breathed.

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back closely, gripping onto his sister for dear life.

Donna beeped her horn as she smoked her cigarette, "I haven't got all day!"

Felix and Effy pulled away from each other and Felix smiled, kissing her on the hand, "I love you."

Effy smiled dimly, "I love you more, Fee."

As she got into the car, she blinked away tears that had begun to form in her eyes as she saw Felix hug Alice who had begun to cry softly. Felix had let a few tears fall as he and Kyle waved at her as Donna started the car and drove off. Effy ran her hands through her hair and rested her head against the window, watching them until Donna turned a corner.

* * *

 **H** ello, let me know what you think! Also, I'm going to update again tommorrow so stay tuned :) x


	8. Platform Nine and Three Quarters

**Hello!** This is quite a long chapter after a couple of shorter ones. Effy is finally heading off to Hogwarts; I wonder who she'll meet on her way? ;) Lemme know what ya think! x

* * *

 **Platform Nine and Three Quarters**

The journey consisted of intense silence apart from Donna's road rage and they had gotten to the station just as Harry's uncle had dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart.

Effy got out and managed to get her stuff out of the car before Donna drove off shouting, "don't expect me to pick you up when you come back!"

Rolling her eyes, Effy grabbed the nearest cart and lugged her trunk onto it, followed by Lily-Rose and her bag. She wheeled it into the station, catching up with Harry as he and his uncle stopped in the space between platforms nine and ten.

"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine - platform ten," his uncle said with a nasty smile. "Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they? Have a good term."

Harry's uncle left without another word and Effy and Harry turned to see the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing and Harry looked like he was about to panic.

"Harry," Effy smiled, walking towards him.

"Hey, Effy," he said. "Uh, where's the platform?"

Effy bit her lip, "I don't know."

His eyes widened and they were starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Lily-Rose and Harry's owl, Hedwig.

"We have to ask someone," sighed Harry.

Effy stopped a passing guard but didn't mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when she couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though she was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end, the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters.

"Fuck sake," Effy sighed. "What time is it?"

"It's ten to eleven," said Harry, trying not to panic. "What are we going to do? Hagrid must have forgotten to tell us something we have to do, like with Diagon Alley. Should get out our wands and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between the platforms?"

Effy burst out laughing and eventually, Harry did too, realising what he'd said just as a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.

"– Packed with Muggles, of course –"

Harry swung round and Effy frowned, "what's up?"

He gestured to a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with bright red hair. They had an owl with them and were all pushing a trunk. Effy and Harry shared a look and pushed their carts after them, stopping when they stopped, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped up a small girl who looked around Felix's age, also red-headed, and was holding her hand, "Mum, can't I go..."

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

The seemingly oldest boy strode toward platforms nine and ten. Effy and Harry watched but their view became blocked by a group of tourists and he vanished.

"Fred, you next," said the mother.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said one of the boys.

"Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother?" said his twin.

"Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went.

Effy laughed as his twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so because a second later, he had gone. Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there and then he disappeared.

"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman. Effy raised her eyebrows in surprise and followed him as he walked towards her.

"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."

She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. Effy offered the freckly boy a side smile and he gave her an awkward smile back.

"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is - the thing is, we don't know how to-"

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Er - okay," said Harry, looking at Effy nervously. "Ladies first?"

Effy rolled her eyes and smiled, "alright."

She pushed her trolley around and stared at the barrier as she started to walk toward it. She ran quicker and then, leaning forward on her cart, broke into a heavy run that she wouldn't be able to stop; she closed her eyes ready for the crash and -

It didn't come, she opened her eyes and a scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock; she looked behind her and saw an archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it.

 _Yes!_ She had done it.

She waited for Harry to come through and grinned when he ran through with his eyes shut. He opened them and smiled when he saw her, "we did it."

Effy nodded and they pushed their carts off down the platform in search of an empty carriage. The first few were already packed with students and Effy pushed her cart off down the platform in search of a couple of empty seats.

They passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville," the old woman sighed.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms and the crowd around him screamed as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg. They carried on through the crowd until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. They both put their owls inside first and Effy started to help Harry shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. They tried to lift it up the steps but were failing miserably.

"Fucking hell," sighed Effy.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins they'd followed through the barrier.

"Yes, please," Harry panted.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

With the twins' help, their trunks were at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"Yeah," said Effy, "thank you."

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you - ?"

"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" said Harry.

"Harry Potter." chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

Effy laughed as the two boys stared at him, and Harry had begun to turn red. A voice came floating in through the train's open door, "Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum."

With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train and Effy and Harry sat down across from each other, next to the window where they could discreetly watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.

Their mother took out her handkerchief, "Ron, you've got something on your nose."

The youngest boy tried to move out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mom - geroff" He wriggled free.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

The oldest boy came into sight and he had already changed into his Hogwarts robes. Effy noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front; the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, sarcastically. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once-"

"Or twice-"

"A minute-"

"All summer-"

"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.

Effy smirked, she liked those twins.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term - send me an owl when you get there."

She gave Percy a kiss on the cheek and he left to get on the train; she then turned to the twins.

"Now, you two - this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've - you've blown up a toilet or-"

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though, thanks, Mum."

"It's not funny. And look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

"Shut up," said Ron again.

"Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

Effy laughed as Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!"

The little girl, Ginny spoke up, "Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, eh please..."

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."

"Poor dear - no wonder he didn't have any adults with him. Though he was with a friend so I wonder where her parents are. They were ever so polite when they asked how to get onto the platform."

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Their mother suddenly became very stern, "I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

Effy glanced at Harry with a sad smile.

"All right, keep your hair on," said Fred.

There was suddenly a whistle, indicating that it was time to go.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and Ginny began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."

"George!"

"Only joking, Mom."

The train began to move and Effy looked up at Harry.

"You okay?" Effy asked.

Harry nodded, "did Hagrid tell you about Vol-... I mean-"

"Voldemort?" He nodded and Effy said, "We didn't grow up fearing him and we shouldn't be scared to say his name, not to make us sound brave or anything, just because we never knew that you're not supposed to. And, anyway, wouldn't not saying his name make him scarier?"-Harry smiled and nodded-"Hagrid told me what he could; it's all a big mystery apparently. Although, I suppose it is considering how powerful he was."-Harry nodded-"I'm sorry about your parents, Harry."

"Thank you," He smiled sadly, "but at least I know what happened to mine. You don't, do you?"

Effy ran a hand through her hair and sighed, "no but I'm pretty sure that they're dead."

"Why don't you ask Hagrid?"

"Um," Effy thought about her answer. "I don't know if I want to know."

Harry looked as though he was about to say something when the door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat next to Harry. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. Effy watched as he snuck a look at Harry before quickly looking out of the window, pretending he hadn't. He still had a black mark on his nose.

"Hey, Ron."

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother."

Harry smiled politely, "I'm Harry and this is Effy."

Effy nodded her head, "hey."

"Hi," smiled one of the twins who Effy noticed was slightly smaller than the other. Effy liked his smile and gave him a small one in return, causing his to grow wider.

"See you later, then," said the other twin.

"Bye," said Harry, Effy and Ron.

The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded.

"Oh - well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got - you know..."

He pointed at Harry's forehead and Harry pulled back his fringe to show the lightning scar.

Ron stared, "so that's where You-Know-Who - ?"

"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well - I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

Effy frowned, thinking of the dream she'd always had with the green flash.

"Wow," said Ron. Effy watched as he stared at Harry for a few moments before looking quickly out of the window again once he'd realized what he was doing.

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry.

"Er - Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you must know loads of magic already."

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron.

Harry smiled as he and Effy shared a look and Ron looked at Effy, remembering her presence after being excited about Harry.

"Do you live with Muggles too?" he asked politely.

Effy nodded, "yeah."

"So, you're a muggle-born?"

"No," Effy said and Ron looked at her, waiting for her to carry on. "My parents were magical but I'm in foster care, I, uh, live with a muggle family."

"Why don't you live with your parents?"

Harry looked at her kindly as she said, "I don't know, I think they're dead."

Ron nodded sadly and spoke sincerely, "I'm sorry."

Effy shrugged with a crooked smile, "it's alright."

After an awkward silence, Ron said, "So, what are they like?"

"What are who like?" asked Harry.

"Muggles."

"Horrible - well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."

"Five," said Ron, looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

Ron reached into his jacket and pulled out a fat sleeping grey rat.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff - I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron must have been embarrassed and thought he'd said too much as he went back to staring out of the window. Effy didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, she'd never had any money in her life until a month ago. Harry must have felt the same because he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. It seemed to cheer Ron up.

"... and until Hagrid told us, Effy and I didn't know anything about being magical or about my parents or Voldemort-"

Ron gasped.

"What?" said Harry.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people-"

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, sharing a smile with Effy, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn... I bet- I bet I'm the worst in the class."

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."

While they talked, the train carried them out of London, into the countryside and around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Effy, who'd only had milk for breakfast, leapt to her feet, but Ron's ears went pink and he said something about sandwiches. Effy and Harry went out into the corridor.

Effy had never had any money for sweets before, and now that she had a bag full of gold and silver she was ready not to steal as many Mars Bars as she could carry, but buy them. But the woman didn't have any mars bars, what she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things that Effy had never seen in her life. Not wanting to miss anything, she and Harry got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts each.

Ron stared as they brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?"

"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

Effy smirked but it quickly faded when Ron took out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside that honestly looked a little disgusting. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef..."

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on-"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Let's have a look," said Effy.

Ron shrugged and handed her the sandwiches. Effy smiled and made it look as if she were about to open the package before tossing it straight out of the window.

"Now you have to eat our shit with us," smirked Effy.

Ron's eyes widened and Harry laughed.

"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry.

Ron agreed and he, Effy and Harry began eating their way through all of their pasties, cakes, and sweets.

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?"

"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?" asked Effy, picking up a chocolate frog.

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

Effy unwrapped her Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He had a large brown moustache and beard and was holding a book and quill. Underneath the picture was the name Cornelius Agrippa.

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry, looking at his card.

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron.

Harry turned over his card and read, "Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling."

Effy laughed at the idea of a famous wizard liking tenpin bowling and Harry turned the card back over and saw that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back."

"Hey, Ron," said Effy. "I've got that guy you wanted, Cornelius Agrippa. Cornelius Agrippa lived from 1486 to 1535. He wrote books about magic and wizards. Some important Muggles thought his books were evil, so they put him in jail for writing them."

Effy passed it to him and Ron said, "It's okay, I'll get him another time."

"Take it, Ron," smiled Effy. "I don't keep things."

"Why?"

"I always lose them," shrugged Effy with a small smile.

Ron smiled, "thanks, Effy."

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.

"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"

Effy picked up a couple of the chocolate frogs and put them in her bag along with some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, deciding to send Lily-Rose off with them and a letter for her brother and sister, she even put some beans in for Kyle, not wanting to leave him out. Harry opened a bag of the beans.

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour - you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a boogie-flavoured one once."

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it hesitantly and bit into a corner.

"Bleaaargh - see? Sprouts."

They had a good time eating the Every Flavour Beans. Effy got coconut, baked bean, pumpkin, strawberry, tuna, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end of a funny orange one neither Ron nor Harry would touch, which turned out to be ear wax.

Effy looked out of the window to see that they were now in woods, passing rivers and hills. There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Effy had passed on the platform came in. He looked quite upset and Effy frowned.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Harry.

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..."

He left and Effy frowned, "how do you lose a toad on a train?"

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

Speaking off the rat, it was still asleep on Ron's lap.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand which had something white shining at the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway-"

He was just about to do the spell when the compartment door slid open again. The boy was back, but this time he was accompanied by a girl with bushy brown hair and, to be honest, quite large front teeth.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said with a bossy sort of voice.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening and was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

She sat down next to Effy.

"Er - all right," said Ron, the surprise evident in his voice.

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but nothing happened and the rat stayed grey and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it?"-Effy raised an eyebrow- "I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said all this very fast and Effy looked at both Harry and Ron, relieved to see by their stunned faces that they hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Effy Black," nodded Effy.

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" said Harry.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be arriving soon."

She was already wearing her robes and Effy watched her as she left, taking the boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron before throwing his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor," said Ron who suddenly seemed to get worried about something. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"Was that the house Voldemort was in?" asked Effy.

"Yeah," said Ron, flinching at the name. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts?"

Ron then went onto explain that someone tried to rob a high-security vault and everyone is getting worried that its Voldemort because no one was caught. Effy briefly wondered which vault was trying to be broken into and couldn't help but feel a little bit anxious when "You-Know-Who" was mentioned. She shook it off, refusing to let herself feel worried.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.

"Er - we don't know any," Harry confessed.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world - " He began explaining the game and was just talking Effy and Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville or Hermione Granger this time.

Four boys entered, and Effy recognized the middle two rather quickly. The annoying boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop and his brother. The annoying one was looking at Harry with a lot of interest that told Effy that he knew exactly who he was now.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Harry, looking at the other two boys. They were both big and horrible-looking, standing next to the brothers like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe, this is Goyle and"- he gestured to the small blonde boy next to him -"this is my brother Alex," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, hiding a snigger and Effy smirked while Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

Effy raised an annoyed eyebrow at him as he turned back to Harry.

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

Effy laughed and noticed Alex's smirk while Draco Malfoy didn't go red, a little pink appeared on his pale cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasley's and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Effy, Harry and Ron stood up.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered. "A Weasley, the famous Harry Potter and which who grew up with Muggles? Don't make me laugh."

Effy stepped towards Draco and smirked, "I suggest that you leave, I may not know any magic but I can easily hurt you the way a muggle would and I'm sure that would be more painful than anything you could throw at us."

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys?" said Draco. "We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

He stepped forward and Effy felt a twinge of anger inside of her, causing her to push him back, "fuck off, yeah?"

Draco turned up his nose, "ugh, don't you dare touch me, you dirty trollop!"

Both Harry and Ron looked as if they wanted to beat the guy to a pulp but Crabbe and Goyle surrounded them. Effy gave Draco a hard glare that even he would admit shook him a little.

"Leave us alone."

Draco looked as if he was going to say something when he heard a voice from behind him.

"Draco, come on." Said Alex, holding onto his arm. "Let's just go, we'll be at Hogwarts soon."

Draco shot him a glare, "what's it to you, Alex? You fancy her or something?"

He shook his head and stayed silent.

Draco scoffed, "Crabbe, Goyle - let's go."

And with one last glare at Ron, Effy and Harry, Crabbe and Goyle followed Draco out of the compartment. Alex glanced at Effy before swiftly leaving, staring at the floor.

"What has been going on?" asked Hermione Granger as she suddenly popped her head into the compartment.

"You alright, Effy?" said Harry.

She shrugged, "yeah, I'm fine."

They sat back down and Ron said, "you've met the Malfoy twins before?"

Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of their family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"We haven't been fighting and, anyway, Malfoy started it," said Ron with a scowl. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left and Effy laughed, hitting her knees and clapping her hands together as a beat, "you got mud on your face, you big disgrace. Kickin' your can all over the place. Singin'-"

Harry joined in with a grin, "We will, we will rock you. We will, we will rock you!"

Ron laughed, "was that Muggle music?"

Effy and Harry shared a look and grinned. Harry and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him; you could see his trainers underneath them. Effy grabbed her robes and took off her jumper before putting them on over her tank top.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

Effy bit her lip, full of excitement and looked at Harry who looked full of nerves and Ron who looked pale under his freckles. They shoved the remaining sweets into their pockets before joining the crowd in the corridor.

The train slowed and when it finally stopped, people pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Effy shivered in the cold night air before noticing a lamp come over the heads of the students, and she heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, you two?"

Hagrid's face beamed over the heads of students and both Effy and Harry grinned at him.

"Hi Hagrid," said Effy.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

The first years followed Hagrid and they all road in boats over the river and down a dark tunnel until they reached an underground harbour, where they got out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville happily.

They then went through a passageway and up a flight of stairs before reaching a pair of large doors.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised his fist and knocked on the door three times.


	9. The Sorting Hat

**The Sorting Hat**

The door swung open and a tall, dark-haired witch in bright green robes stood there. She was wearing a pointed hat and had a very stern face. Effy's first thought was that this was not someone to cross and smirked, taking a liking to her.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door open wide to reveal a huge entrance hall. As she, along with the other first years, followed Professor McGonagall, Effy stared up at high ceiling which was incredibly difficult to even make out. Professor McGonagall took the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall and they crowded in so that they could all fit, most of them looking around nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall before explaining about the houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Effy watched as Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair and laughed lightly.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber and most of the students stayed quiet apart from Hermione who was whispering quite quickly about spells and wondering what she was going to need. Effy rolled her eyes and tried hard not to listen to her.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Harry asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"A test?" said Effy, "In front of the whole school?" – Ron nodded – "Great, this won't be awkward or embarrassing at all."

Ron chuckled and Harry smiled slightly. Suddenly several people behind screamed from behind them, making them jump. Effy rolled her eyes at herself and turned to see about twenty ghosts flying through the back wall and across the room chatting among themselves. They seemed to be arguing about a ghost who's 'not really even a ghost' named Peeves.

"I say, what are you all doing here?" Asked a ghost.

Nobody answered and Effy's eyebrows raised in surprise as she took in the sight of the figures.

"New students!" said one of the ghosts, the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." - The ghosts slipped away through the next wall -"Now, form a line and follow me."

Effy got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Harry and Ron behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

The hall was spectacular and Effy looked around in amazement at the candles that were floating in midair over the four long tables that were filled with students. Her eyes then landed at the end of the hall where there was another long table where the teachers were sitting. As Professor McGonagall led them there, Effy looked around at a few of the older students to notice Ron's brothers on one of the tables. The twins were joking with each other and gave her a grin when they shared a look.

Effy followed Harry's eyes upward and saw a black ceiling dotted with stars. She heard Hermione whisper, " It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

Effy looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she put an old, dirty, pointed hat. Effy smiled as she thought of Felix's face if he'd seen it. He'd be looking at it cautiously, refusing to place dirt on his head.

She, along with everyone else stared at the hat and, for a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing. _Sing._

"What the fuck?" Effy breathed.

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song and Effy frowned confusingly, wondering what the commotion was about, _it wasn't that good of a song_. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred; he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Effy scoffed a laugh and Harry smiled weakly. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A girl with blonde pigtails put on the hat, sat on the stool and after a moment's pause the hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff's table cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down and Effy saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving at her.

After a couple of moments, Effy's heart jumped as Professor McGonagall said, "Black, Elizabeth."

"Oh shit," she breathed towards Harry and Ron before walking up to the stool.

She sat down and Professor McGonagall placed the hat onto her head. It fell over her eyes and she felt herself calm down, telling herself how stupid she was being.

"Well, what do we have here," said the hat. "A Black... oh yes, I remember your father, he was hard to place as well. Your mother, on the other hand, she was easy. Belonged in Gryffindor with her brother, very brave and strong-minded, that girl. I see that you've got plenty of courage; there's not much that you're scared of, much like your mother. I can see that you're also very loyal and there is a certain charm and wit about you that greatly reminds me of your father.

"I can see creativity and talent, lots of talent - and a strong desire to prove yourself, now that's interesting... especially with a background like yours. You have great power, talents that few others have and for that, you will go far. Now, where shall I put you?" – The hat paused – "If I were to go with the tradition of the Black family along with the cunning part of your mind, I would choose Slytherin."

 _My family was in Slytherin?_ Effy thought with a frown.

"Why yes – the Blacks were a long line of Slytherin's, until your father of course," answered the hat. "Now, how about... yes, I think it better be–" _Fuck, not Slytherin!_ "–GRYFFINOR!"

Effy breathed a sigh of relief as the hat was taken off her head and grinned when the whole of Gryffindor began to cheer for her; she noticed Ron's twin brothers whistling and clapping, she laughed lightly. She stood up, sharing looks with Harry and Ron, before walking towards the table and taking a seat next to one of the twins.

He looked at her and smiled, "Welcome to Gryffindor, Elizabeth."

"It's Effy," she said.

"I know," he smirked.

She narrowed her eyes at him slightly, intrigued by him and said, "Thanks, George."

He raised an amused eyebrow and gestured towards Fred on the other side of him, "you've only seen us once and you can tell us apart?"

"Of course I can," Effy smirked. "You're shorter."

He laughed and they turned back to the sorting hat as Professor McGonagall called up the next student, "Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

Effy realised that she could see the High Table and at the end nearest to her was Hagrid who caught her eye and grinned at her, giving her the thumbs up. She grinned at him and then caught eyes with Albus Dumbledore who was sat in the centre of the table. His lips turned up into a small smile and he nodded at her slowly. She smiled at him and nodded her head in return. Professor Quirrell was sat, wearing his large purple turban, next to a man with a hooked nose and dark greasy hair.

She felt a pain shoot through her head, just above her eyebrow as she watched the man with the hooked nose look straight at her, just past the turban. Wincing, she ran a hand through her hair and began to rub her temple frowning as the pain went quickly. Sighing, she turned her attention back to the ceremony to see a few more students get placed into their houses.

After quite a few other students, Hermione Granger was called up and she eagerly put on the hat before being placed in Gryffindor. Neville Longbottom, the boy who had lost his toad on the train was next and was also placed in Gryffindor.

"Malfoy, Alexander," called Professor McGonagall.

The quiet blonde-haired boy walked up to the stool and sat down nervously before placing the hat on his head. The hat sat there for about a minute and a half, whispering into the boy's ear before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Most of Gryffindor cheered while the others, Slytherin and the rest of the students began to mutter and whisper to each other as he took off the hat. Effy had been saving space for Harry and Ron next to her but felt sympathy for the boy, who had begun to receive glares from Draco, and gestured for him to sit next to her. He smiled at her thankfully and sat down next to her, running a hand through his hair before patting down his fringe so that it was back on his forehead.

Draco was called up next and got his wish at once, the hat screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

He, after shooting another glare at his brother, went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself. There weren't that many people left now and Effy was surprisingly shocked at all of the whispers that broke out when Harry's name was called.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

After what seemed like forever, the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Effy grinned at him as she noticed how relieved he looked and cheered when she realised that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. He walked over to the table and Percy the Prefect got up to vigorously shake his hand, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite a ghost he'd seen earlier, sharing a joyful look with Effy as he sat down a couple of people down from her so that they could still talk to each other.

There were then only three people left to be sorted and when it was finally Ron's turn he looked quite pale. The hat was placed on his head and a second later it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Effy cheered loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley.

There was one more boy (who got placed in Slytherin) before Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet and was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down and everybody clapped and cheered. Effy laughed but she didn't know whether or not she was meant to.

"Is he - a bit mad?" Harry asked Percy uncertainly.

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

Harry's mouth fell open and so did Effy's once she'd realised what he was looking at: the dishes in front of him were now piled with food. Effy dug in straight away and filled her plate with everything that she wanted.

"That does look good," said the ghost in front of Harry sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak.

"Can't you - ?"

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy - " the ghost began stiffly.

A boy named Seamus Finnigan interrupted, "Nearly Headless? How can you be _nearly_ headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked pretty pissed off as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.

"Like this," he said irritably before grabbing onto his left ear and pulling his whole head off his neck and onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Apparently, someone had tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Effy laughed at the sight, gaining surprised looks from some of the people on the table and, looking pleased with the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus after looking over at the ghost.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

After everyone had finished eating the desserts appeared and as Effy helped herself to some rice pudding, the talk turned to their families.

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

The other people in the conversation laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville before going into a story about how his family thought that he was a muggle.

Effy, who had begun to feel a little tired, turned to Alexander who hadn't said a word. "So," she said. "I'm guessing that you were shocked to be put in Gryffindor." – Alexander looked at her – "or is it that you weren't put into Slytherin."

He nodded, "my whole family's Slytherin."

"Mine too," said Effy, "Except for me and my father apparently."

"I'm the first not to be in Slytherin."

"Does that bother you?"

"No," he smiled. "It'll just bother my family."

Eff nodded and said, "I'm Effy, by the way."

He smiled, "Alec."

"I thought you went by Alex?"

"My family calls me Alex but I've always thought it was a little... mundane."

Effy smirked and held out her hand for him to shake, "it's nice to meet you, Alec."

He took it, "it's nice to meet you too, Effy."

Harry suddenly clapped a hand to his head, "ouch!"

"What is it?" asked Percy.

"N-nothing."

Effy frowned, "are you okay?"

Harry nodded, rubbing his scar. "Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy.

Effy listened in, knowing that they were talking about the man with the hooked nose.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Effy looked over at him with a raised eyebrow before turning back to the table to see the desserts disappeared.

Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again;

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore glanced in the direction of the Weasley twins. "I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Effy laughed, but she and Harry were two of the few who did.

"He's not serious?" Harry muttered to Percy.

"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Effy smirked as she noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a flick and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself into words.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

 _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts_

 _Teach us something please,_

 _Whether we be old and bald_

 _Or young with scabby knees,_

 _Our heads could do with filling_

 _With some interesting stuff,_

 _For now they're bare and full of air,_

 _Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

 _So teach us things worth knowing,_

 _Bring back what we've forgot, just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

 _And learn until our brains all rot._

Everybody finished the song at different times. Effy laughed as, at last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

* * *

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up a staircase. Effy rubbed her eyes, too tired to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet.

"Jesus Christ," sighed Effy. "How much longer do we have to walk, Percy?"

"Not long now," he called.

After a couple more steps, the group stopped and a bundle of walking sticks was floating in mid-air ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves - show yourself."

A loud fart sound answered him.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

He swooped suddenly at them and they all ducked, some, including Effy, found it amusing while the others didn't.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

"Thank god," said Effy, gaining smiles from Harry, Ron and Alec.

At the very end of the corridor was a portrait of a fat woman in a pink dress.

"Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all pushed through it and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Effy said goodnight to Harry, Ron and Alec as Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase, they found their beds and saw that their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pyjamas and fell into bed. Hermione's bed turned out to be next to Effy's and she really didn't know how she felt about that yet. She let her eyes close and fell asleep almost at once.

* * *

 **Helloo** everyone, I'm sorry I haven't been very active recently but let me know what you think.

 **Review Replies:**

sassy973: I'm glad you enjoyed! I'm so so sorry it took so long x


	10. Professor Snape

**Professor Snape**

By Friday, Effy, Harry and Ron were able to make their way down to the great hall without getting lost and Alec had managed to ignore all of the dirty looks he was getting from the Slytherin's. They all sat together as they ate their breakfast, Ron and Harry on one side of the table and Effy and Alec on the other. Alec apologised for his brother's behaviour earlier on in the week and Harry and Ron decided not to hold a grudge considering how much he was being glared and whispered about. Along with Alec, the presence of Harry had shaken the school slightly and he was the main topic of conversation for most of the students.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked, pouring sugar on his porridge.

"Double Potions with the Slytherin's," Alec answered.

"Snape's Head of Slytherin House," said Ron. "They say he always favours them - we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favoured us," said Harry.

Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.

"I didn't mind the homework she gave us," said Effy.

"That's because you and Hermione Granger were the only ones who actually made any difference to your matches," said Ron. "You even stayed behind until you could finally turn it into a needle."

Effy scoffed a laugh, "and what? I enjoyed transfiguration and, besides, we had the History of Magic class after that and I for one am glad that I was late."

"She's got a point," said Harry.

Alec smiled and nudged her with his elbow, "well at least you got McGonagall's approval."

Effy laughed and felt excitement rush through her as the mail arrived, she had sent a package to her siblings earlier on in the week and was hoping for a letter in return because she missed them terribly and this was the longest they had gone without seeing each other. About a hundred owls swooped into the Great Hall, circled the tables until they saw their owners and dropped letters and packages onto their laps.

Lily-Rose and Hedwig entered together both holding letters in their beaks. Harry tore his open at once, happy to receive his first letter. Effy did the same, recognising Felix's handwriting, and grinned when she unravelled the piece of paper to see a lengthy letter with another person's handwriting at the bottom: Alice.

"We've been invited to Hagrid's hut this afternoon," said Harry happily. "He wants to hear about our first week at school."

Effy smiled, "what time?"

"Around three," Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled 'Yes, please, see you later' on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.

Alec had also received a letter and he didn't seem too pleased as he pushed away his breakfast.

"What's wrong?" asked Ron.

"It's a letter from my parents," he said glumly, looking at his name on the front of the envelope.

Effy gave him a sympathetic look before looking at her letter:

 _Dear Effy,_

 _I miss you so much, Eff. I'm literally counting down the days until I see you again. I'm glad that you like Hogwarts though and I'm happy that you've made some friends. I hope Alec is okay and, by the way, Alec is such a better name then Alex. I hope Harry is enjoying Hogwarts and make sure that you say hi to Hagrid for me when you see him. Ron sounds nice, too. Not sure about Percy the prefect though. The twins sound funny, I can't wait to meet them all and I bet Hermione is really nice, don't be such a bitch and talk to her. Who cares if she's a know-it-all? Maybe she'll help you get through your lessons!_

 _Kyle says thanks for the sweets even though he practically threw up when he tried a weird looking green one and I think he misses you a little bit. Alice hopes that you're okay and wants to draw you something at the end of this incredibly repetitive letter._

 _I LOVE YOU EFFY! WRITE BACK SOON!_

 _Love, Felix_

xxxx

 _P.S: Send me a drawing? I don't care what it is, I just miss seeing you draw._

Then, at the bottom of the page was a little drawing of Dumbledore, who she must've received in a chocolate frog that Effy had sent her, from Alice. Her chest felt all warm and she decided that she was going to write back to them that day when she gets the chance. Alec put his letter away quickly without opening it and after breakfast, they headed to potions which just so happened to be in the dungeons.

* * *

It, however, turned out to be the worst lesson of them all – even worse than the History of Magic – and Professor Snape made it clear how he felt about Effy just by looking at her as she walked into the classroom. While he seemed to dislike all of Gryffindor all together, he seemed to hate Effy as he glared at her when she sat down. It was worse for Harry, though, who had barely even walked inside before getting a dark scowl from him.

Snape started the class by taking the register and paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity."

Draco, Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands, causing Effy to roll her eyes.

Once he had finished the register he began the class, "you are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper on death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Silence followed this little speech and Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she knew what he was talking about.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Effy frowned confusingly and watched as Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was meanwhile Hermione's hand had shot into the air.

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

Snape sneered, "Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's hand and continued quizzing him, "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand even higher but Snape continued to ignore her even though Harry obviously didn't know the answer. Effy glared at Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle when she noticed that they were laughing at him.

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

Effy rolled her eyes and decided to speak up in hopes of getting Snape off Harry's back. "I wasn't aware that we would be quizzed in our first lesson, to be honest with you, Sir, so I too have yet to open a book."

A few of the other students laughed or shared surprised looks with each other while Harry mouthed 'thank you' and Alec gave her a look that said, 'what on earth are you doing?"

Snape turned his dark eyes towards her and said, "Elizabeth Black, that arrogance will get you nowhere, it didn't work for your father and it certainly won't work for you." Effy narrowed her eyes at him and he turned back to Harry, "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the ceiling.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

A few people laughed once again but Snape was not pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

Everyone suddenly shit themselves and grabbed some quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter. The same goes for you, Black."

* * *

"It was so unfair!" Sighed Harry on the way down to Hagrid's Hut. "What was his problem?"

Alec shrugged, "I don't get it."

"Me neither," said Effy. "In what world was it your fault Neville fucked up the potion?"

Harry let out an annoyed breath and Ron said, "Fred and George hate him too and he's always taking points off of them so I wouldn't worry about that."

Once they got there, Harry knocked on the door of the hut and they heard Hagrid frantically doing something and a loud bark.

"Back, Fang," Hagrid said sternly, "back."

He answered the door and let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who went straight at Ron and started licking him.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting some hard raisin filled cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

They laughed and Effy said, "and this is Alec."

"Alexander Malfoy, am I right?"

Alec nodded, "you know me?"

"The day a Malfoy gets put into a house other then Slytherin everyone talks about it." -Hagrid chuckled and Alec's face dropped slightly- "Not that that's a bad thing, mind. How you likin' Gryffindor?"

"I like it so far," Alec said politely.

"Good." Hagrid smiled before looking at the others, "what about you lot?"

They all agreed that they were enjoying it and began a discussion about their first week when Hagrid began to rant about Mr Filch – the "old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her - Filch puts her up to it."

Harry also told Hagrid about Snape's lesson and Hagrid, like Ron, told both Harry and Effy not to worry about it and that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really hate me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

Effy narrowed her eyes as she noticed Hagrid not quite looking at either of them in the eye when he said that. Hagrid then changed the subject onto Ron's brother Charlie and while Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Effy noticed Harry pick up a piece of paper that was on the table.

"Hagrid!" said Harry suddenly, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

Effy frowned, "what break in?"

"The one at Gringotts in vault 713," said Ron. "Someone tried to rob what Hagrid took out earlier on in the day."

"Bloody hell," said Effy.

"What a coincidence," nodded Alec.

Hagrid stayed silent throughout the conversation and, while the group of four were on their way back to the castle, Effy couldn't help but wonder what he was hiding from them.

* * *

 _Fee,_

 _I miss you too and I can't wait to see you at Christmas! Did I tell you I managed to turn a match into a needle? It only took me an hour and thirteen minutes. Today I had potions with a really shitty Professor who seemed to have it out for Harry and I. It was so strange and when we asked Hagrid about it he completely avoided the question… I don't know what's going on but I hope I can find out. He sends his love._

 _How is it going with Donna and the demons? I hope it's not too horrible._

 _I've popped in Daily Prophet so you can keep up in the wizarding world and a drawing of the lake for you, it's the view from my bed in the Gryffindor dormitory. I hope you like it!_

 _Tell Alice I love and miss her._

 _Love, Effy x_

 _P.S: I miss you too, Kyle._

* * *

 **Hi** , hope you enjoyed :)) x

 **Review Replies:**

appsngamesetc: thank you! I'm glad you like it x


	11. PS: Thank You

**_P.S: Thank You_**

 _Effy,_

 _You turned a match into a needle? That is so cool, you have to show me when you come home! Are you sure that Snape has it out for you guys or is he just an annoying teacher?_

 _Donna and the demons are fine, they've actually not been bothering us as much lately. I think ever since we found out that you're a witch everything shifted slightly. Donna has been going out a lot lately though and the other night the demons trashed the house and Donna blamed it on us when she stumbled home so we had to clean it up. She's stopped giving us food at all, though, which is fine because she's actually been shopping so we can make some food ourselves._

 _I miss you so much Eff; I went to the roof today and couldn't stay up there for longer than 10 minutes because it didn't feel right without you._

 _Love, Felix_

xxxx

 _P.S: Thanks for the newspaper I can't believe the pictures move!_

 _P.S.S: That view from your bed is amazing._

* * *

 _Fee,_

 _I CAN FLY ON A BROOMSTICK!_

 _I'll let you just take that in for a minute before I explain. Ready? Okay._

 _So, we get flying lessons and at first, I couldn't get my bloody broom to rise from the floor into my hand but I finally did it and it was actually really fun. That is until Neville fell off his broom (his Grandmother wouldn't let him learn as a kid – makes sense!) and then Draco Malfoy fucked up by taking Neville's Remembrall. Harry flew his broom up to his level and demanded the ball back so Draco threw it and Harry caught it before it hit the ground. It was honestly brilliant AND Harry has become the Gryffindor Seeker so I guess it's actually pretty good!_

 _About Donna and the demons, at least they are kinda staying out of your way – that's a good thing! I miss you too, so so much but you have to be able to go up there without me we've still got a couple of months before I come home so why don't you take Alice I bet she'd love it. Be careful though!_

 _Okay, I'm going to have to go now because Harry is going for a 'midnight duel' with Draco and I have to be there to see what the fuck is happening._

 _Love, Effy x_

 _P.S: I PROMISE you Snape has it out for us! He was saying shit and said that I'm just like my father and he asked Harry three questions that he obviously wasn't going to know the answer too in the FIRST LESSON._

* * *

 _Effy,_

 _Okay, okay, I took Alice up there and she loved it so I didn't feel sad when I went up there. Thank you for that._

 _Right, so yours and Harry's Dads were best friends in school, yeah? Is there any chance that Snape could have taught them? How old are your parents anyway? Have you found out anything about them?_

 _Love, Felix_

xxxx

 _P.S: You best be giving me a ride on the broom! And tell Harry congrats from me._

 _P.S.S: Draco Malfoy seems like a dick – let me know how the duel goes!_

* * *

 _Fee,_

 _So, the duel didn't even fucking happen because Malfoy set us up! Hermione and Neville ended up coming along though and Ron wasn't very happy about that. What happened was, Hermione was trying to stop us from leaving the Gryffindor common room and Neville had locked himself out so they both ended up bloody coming. It wasn't too bad until we had to run away from Filch and his cat because Malfoy didn't turn up and obviously told Filch where to go. When we finally lost him, Peeves was shouting that we were in the charms corridor, so we had to run off again and ended up on the third floor._

 _BUT, in the hallway was a massive THREE-HEADED dog! It started snarling at us and we ran all the way back to Gryffindor tower. As it turns out, Hermione noticed that the dog was standing above a trapdoor so Harry and I reckon' that whatever Hagrid got out of Gringotts for Dumbledore is under there._

 _Now, though, Hermione isn't speaking to us and it's been a few days so what do you think? Should I speak to her?_

 _About my parents, I don't know anything but I don't know if I want to ask. I don't think that Snape is old enough to have taught them, to be honest. I don't know. I don't really want to talk about it anymore._

 _Also, how are Alice and Kyle? I hope they're okay._

 _Love, Effy x_

* * *

 _Effy,_

 _A three-headed dog? Why the fuck have they got that in the school? I mean, I get wanting to keep the package safe but fucking hell! What do you think they're guarding?_

 _Alice and Kyle are good! I don't really know what Kyle is up to, but Alice and I are currently sat on your bed drawing and stroking Lily-Rose._

 _YES, OF COURSE_ , _YOU SHOULD SPEAK TO HERMIONE! I've already said, GIVE HER A CHANCE. Girls are good to have as friends, Eff. Especially when I'm not there with you!_

 _We also don't have to talk to about your parents but I'm here if you want to._

 _Love, Felix_

xxxx

 _P.S: I can't believe Malfoy did that, he's an idiot._

* * *

 _Fee,_

 _I have no idea what they are guarding but it has to be important and/or dangerous. Professor McGonagall has just got Harry an amazing broomstick and now he is at Quidditch practice a few nights a week and we've got shit loads of homework, for fuck's sake!_

 _I'll try and speak to Hermione._

 _Love, Effy x_

 _P.S: Thank you._

* * *

 ** _Only_** _a little one but I'll update soon x_


End file.
